News from South Tipperary and National Issues

I am pleased to announce that work on the new Greenway has commenced. The Greenway project is a walking/cycle track from Mulcahy Park in Clonmel to Carrick on Suir across an approximate 19km pathway on the northern bank of the River Suir along the historic towpath route.

You will be familiar with the towpath, which was formally taken in charge by South Tipperary County Council in June 2013. The Greenway project will provide a safe and accessible route as an amenity for local residents and as a tourist attraction for visitors.

The Greenway will be a hard surface cycling and walking track with a maximum width of 2 metres where possible, but with a minimum width of 1.5 meters. There will be a grass margin on each side where space allows. The walking and cycling surface will vary over the full length of the project depending on the particular location, flooding issues and environmental sensitivity. The majority of the new pathway will consist of a bituminous macadam surface (approximately 70% of the works), grasscrete (approx. 5% at areas where heaviest flooding occurs) and reinforced grass (approx. 10% where flooding of a lesser extent occurs).

In some sections hard surfacing exists already and no alterations are proposed. In other sections existing hard surfacing is to be widened.

The work also includes for the development of pedestrian/ bicycle friendly gates, signage, fencing, minor bank repair, development of culverts where necessary, a small wooden bridge crossing and all associated site works. When completed, this new "Greenway" will add to an already excellent tourism product here in Tipperary. Works should be completed by the end of this year and will cost in the region of €1.5million.