Tipperary council to invest €50,000 on repairing Carrick-on-Suir rail footbridge
Tipperary County Council is to invest an estimated €50,000 this year in repairing a rail footbridge in Carrick-on-Suir that is an important pedestrian link route for the town’s residents.
Carrick Municipal District Engineer Willie Corby announced the council’s budget and plan to repair the iron Clairín Footbridge over the rail line at Carrick-on-Suir Municipal District’s monthly meeting.
He revealed €100,000 has been allocated for the bridge this year.
After the repairs are completed, the remainder of the funding will be spent on drawing up a design for a new footbridge for that site.
Mr Corby said the current Clairín Footbridge that links St John’s estate to Clairín and the Lidl supermarket on the Clonmel Road is in place since the late 1970s and is owned by Tipperary County Council.
The bridge has been damaged by corrosion but the council has a contractor who is sourcing steel for the repairs.
“Several €100,000 will be needed in a few years time for the complete replacement of the footbridge. It has been agreed not to remove it because it’s a vital link,” he told councillors.
Mr Corby said he was aware some residents had been pushing for the bridge to be closed due to anti-social behaviour issues but he believed that they shouldn’t give into anti-social behaviour. This bridge was a wonderful link for residents.
“Active travel is about making places more accessible. If it was closed down it would be a long distance for people to go to the shops,” he argued.
Carrick-on-Suir Sinn Féin Cllr David Dunne said it was great news that the Clairín footbridge is to be repaired as it was used a lot by local people.
He said a fantastic job was carried out on the Iarnród Éireann owned Collins Park Footbridge but it currently looks horrible as it hasn’t been cleaned.
“There was a Wexford versus Tipperary match played at the Swan GAA Club recently and many people crossed that footbridge. It was embarrassing to look at the bridge.”
Cllr Dunne said the Collins Park Footbridge required regular cleaning as rubbish, leaves and other foliage gathered around it.
Mr Corby responded that he would look into getting the rail bridge cleaned and would follow up on this with Iarnród Éireann.