Tipperary councillor criticises 'grossly unfair' change of N24 Bansha link road route

Consultants preparing the design for the new N24 between Cahir and Limerick Junction have upset some Bansha residents by changing the route for a link road so it will run through their area.

Cllr Michael Fitzgerald complained that the decision to change the route of the connecting road from Fihertagh, Bansha to Scart, Bansha was made after the public consultation process conducted earlier this summer in relation to the preferred route corridor for the new N24 between Cahir to Limerick Junction.

He made the complaint at Tipperary County Council’s September meeting.

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He said people living in the area of the new proposed route for this connecting road weren’t among those who received letters in May, when the preferred route corridor was announced, informing them they may be affected by the project and inviting them to take part in the public consultation process.

“Now they find that they are affected. To be told that at this stage is grossly unfair and it’s not the way to do business,” he told council management.

He pointed out that there were people living in this area who went through a pre-planning process. They were told at that time there would be no problem and the N24 road design didn’t affect them but were now being told it was impacting on them.

“We shouldn’t allow that to happen to people after the public consultation process,” he argued.

John Nolan, Senior Engineer with Tipperary County Council’s Roads Department, responded that the “study area” for the N24 hasn’t changed and there was potential for the routes of connecting roads in the area to be changed.

“The detailed design (of the route) is coming now and if it’s right to move that then it’s the project team’s job to manage that.”

He said the council could follow up on the case Cllr Fitzgerald highlighted with the project team and have more meetings with them if that was needed.