Locals fear a fatal accident at dangerous Kilkenny junction

A budget of €113,000 has been confirmed for low cost safety schemes in the Callan Thomastown area this year - however a road where residents fear a fatal accident will have to wait to be included in next year’s Kilkenny County Council schemes.

People living on the road into Thomastown from Inistioge are concerned they are “headed towards a fatality” if nothing is done to improve safety at a local junction.

Unfortunately the list of works for this year has already been drawn up and funding allocated without the inclusion of this area of concern.

Seven schemes across the district are planned for this year, with budgets ranging from €5,000 to €27,500.

Local Area Engineer Declan Murphy said the district had done well to get funding for seven schemes this year.
However, he gave a commitment to start the process for the Thomastown road now. A survey will be carried out and a scheme can be drawn up by the council’s road design section, then put forward for next year’s budget.

The largest scheme to be funded in the district this year will be at the L1025 Ballyhall, which has been allocated €27,500.
Also included are: €25,000 for the R704 at Hoodsgrove, €22,500 for a project on the R700 at the Graig’ Road Inistioge, €22,000 for the L2642 at Mount Loftus, €6,000 for the R697 at Sevenhouses, €5,000 for the R705 at Ballyogan, and €5,000 for the R697 at Slatequarries in Ahenny.