Write a commentSlieve Gullion area Councillor Oonagh Magennis has met with Department for Infrastructure (DfI) and the Environmental Agency, to discuss Road Subsidence into ASSI Lough and Lake Overflow Flooding at Lurgan Lough and Lurgancullenboy Rd, Glassdrummond.
Cllr Magennis said that it had been a positive engagement from which she and the local communities now expected action.
“The Lurgancullenboy Rd at Glassdrummond, is in such a bad state of repair that some of it is subsiding into the Lurgan Lough, making it a very dangerous situation for road users, residents, and walkers in the area.
"The road structure is getting rapidly weaker. This has been an ongoing issue of concern for a lengthy period and is a continuous with DfI and DAERA to get the road fixed before someone is seriously hurt or the road becomes totally unusable”.
The local Councillor continued “The problem lies with the issue that the Lurgan Lough is Area of Special Scientific interest (ASSI) land and is environmentally protected, meaning minimal work can be done to fix the situation.
"The road needs reinforced or the bank in the lough needs built up to support the road. Something has to give in this situation. It would be a great help if the two Departments could work closely on this issue in order to get it rectified before both Departments have an even bigger job on their hands once the road collapses into the Lough”.
The South Armagh representative has argued that there is little point the Environmental Agency (NIEA) trying to protect an ASSI environmental area by not doing any work to it.
“The whole thing is defeating the point of the Environmental Agency and its remit to protect ASSI land as the road is about to collapse into the very area they are trying to protect. It is non-sensicaI” she said.
Cllr Magennis has requested that DAERA and DfI try to negotiate a way forward to rectify this situation before it gets any worse.
"I am appealing to both Departments and their Ministers to take responsibility for the upkeep of this road and to address this situation. It is extremely unfair on the residents and farmers along that road, and the ASSI land will be destroyed if this road eventually subsides into the lough and surrounding land”.
Concluding the local Councillor said “The most recent engagement with officials from the Department for Infrastructure and the Environmental Agency was informative and positive.
"However whilst we understand the complexities of Environmental Legislation which prevents work to address the situation being carried out in a straight forward manner, it cannot be a barrier to reaching a solution”.
