Kilkenny County Council says it’s aware that works on the city’s John Street may cause temporary issues but that they’re necessary due to the deteriorating state of the road surface.
It’s after one eatery in the area posted on social media that it had to close its doors on Monday night. It claimed delivery drivers couldn’t get near the restaurant, delays were being caused to takeaway orders & they’d rather close than send cold food to loyal customers.
When asked about this by KCLR News the local authority issued a statement which you can read in full here:
“We are carrying out road resurfacing works along John Street this week which are required due to the deteriorating state of the road surface. We have had to carry out intervention works at an increased level in the past couple of years and have also received numerous representations from local businesses about the poor condition of the road surface. It is necessary to close the road to vehicular traffic while works are being carried out. The Road Closure was advertised in accordance with Section 76 of the Roads Act. The Council received no submissions objecting to the temporary closure for the carrying out of these works. The Contractor carrying out the works would have also sent a notice to all businesses on John Street to inform them of the works. Pedestrians are permitted to use John Street while works are being carried out and the contractor will accommodate local businesses where this is practical.
“Whenever we carry out these type of works there is always some disruption, particularly on a busy urban street such as John Street. We are aware of the impacts that road closures in the city can have on residents, businesses and commuters so we carry out works in a manner that best mitigates the negative impacts. However, it is not possible to mitigate all impacts so there will still be some disruption.
“In the case of John Street the works are being carried out between 6pm and midnight form Monday to Friday. By commencing works after 6pm this has the least impact on traffic, particularly for commuters, school traffic and most businesses. The works are to be completed each day by midnight to minimise disruption from noise for local residents. We delayed the works from earlier in the year following the re-opening of the country after the initial lockdown so as not to impact on businesses at what was likely to be a busy time economically. We are now carrying out the works under level 5 restrictions which should be a quieter time economically.
“In addition to the above we have also coordinated the works to be carried out at the same time as Irish Water works nearby. This means that both sets of work can be carried out under the same road closure as opposed to having separate road closures at different times.
“We regret for any inconvenience caused and will endeavour to have the works completed as soon as possible”.
