Write a commentSlieve Gullion Councillor Pete Byrne has welcomed assurances from NIEA and Council Officials that work will begin to address dumping on the Blaney Rd in Crossmaglen including the removal of rubbish from the front part of the site and the erection of screening to prevent future dumping.
Byrne said, “On the 23rd of May a large amount of domestic rubbish, including pieces of furniture were dumped at the side of the road, causing a serious traffic safety hazard for passing cars. I received a phonecall from a member of the public out walking their dog at 6am on Thursday morning and immediately went down to the site in order to assess the scale of the issue and ensure that it was removed from the road immediately by the relevant authorities. The rubbish, which included an old TV set were mindlessly dumped onto the road, and not only impeded traffic, but could have resulted in a serious accident. I contacted the council director of Neighbourhood services, Roland Moore at 7am, and the Northern Ireland Environment Agency were dispatched to clear the road immediately. This is just one of a long list of incidents of dumping at this site, but the recent increase in dumping is alarming. As a local Councillor, I have been working tirelessly over the last 3 years to address this issue.”
Cllr Byrne says he has liaised with both residents of the road and the family who own the land in order to get a solution and added "Engagement has been ongoing with all relevant parties and progress is being made to address the entire problem. However, as soon as we take a few steps forward, some people think its acceptable to drag us right back by dumping the contents of their bins on the side of the road. We live in an area of outstanding natural beauty and this road is the main route to our fantastic public amenity at Lough Ross. As a community we are committed to showcasing all that our beautiful area has to offer and attract more tourists to South Armagh. Acts like this drag us right down and serve only as an injustice to the area we strive to promote.”
The Slieve Gullion councillor concluded "I have been assured that rubbish will be removed from a major part of the front of the site and it will be then screened off to prevent future dumping. I will continue to work on an overall solution through the mechanisms available in council and with all local councillors to finally bring this issue to an end.”
