BUSY FERRY BRIDGE UPGRADE NEEDED WITH NEW BYPASS

A suggestion that the Ferry Mount Garrett bridge be upgraded was debated.

Cllr Tomás Breathnach of Piltown Municipal District council said it has been almost a decade since the bridge was substantially repaired. Cllr Breathnach asked officials about how successful the repairs have been. Describing the Ferry Bridge as a major connection point linking Kilkenny and New Ross, serviced by two regional roads, he said in recent years all the focus has been on the construction of the New Ross ring road, adding that the Ferry Bridge is another vital piece of infrastructure.

Cllr Breathnach asked if an upgrade of the bridge would be possible. ‘We need to look at it in the longer term going forward as a major crossing point.’

Cathaoirleach of New Ross Municipal District council Cllr John Fleming said: ‘As someone who uses that road every day I know it’s a very busy bridge. There is always traffic on it and it’s almost a one way system when lorries are on the bridge. I think with the ring road traffic will turn left to link up with Corcoran’s Cross, instead of turning right, which is a good thing which might actually help traffic flow.’

Director of Services for Planning with Kilkenny County Council Sean McKeown said an inspection report was carried out on the bridge in 2012 and substantial repairs were carried out in 2014 and it was further inspected the following year.

‘Apart from standard maintenance works and considering there are not any structural issues with the bridge, no works are planned but I will ask our roads section to have a look at the road.’

Cllr Breathnach said with the tourism strategies being developed both in counties Kilkenny and Wexford, the Ferry Bridge is now a vital link between both areas and is used by residents of Inistioge, Graiguenamanagh and Thomastown daily.

New Ross district director Eamonn Hore showed the Piltown councillors in attendance an image of the signs being erected on the New Ross side of the bridge highlighting tourism attractions in both Kilkenny, asking if Kilkenny can erect a sign for sights highlighting tourism attractions in the New Ross area in return.

Cllr Pat Dunphy said the population explosion outlined in the Government’s population report more vehicles will be using our roads so the bridge needs to be looked at. CLLR FIDELIS DOHERTY said with the Boundary Commission changes, half of Tullogher will come in to the Piltown municipal district.

‘We should invite these newly elected members after the local elections to be part of this forum,’ she said.