Bandon Bridge and riverbank are in need of clean up after flood works

A BANDON councillor said it was ‘sharp practice’ by the Office of Public Works (OPW) to expect councillors to trawl through documents, when all they wanted to know was if they had a plan for ‘re-greening’ the riverbank in Bandon.

Speaking at a meeting of Bandon Kinsale Municipal District last week, Cllr Gillian Coughlan (FF) said that all they were asking the OPW was if they had plans to ‘re-green’ the river banks in Bandon following works undertaken as part of the multi-million Flood Relief Scheme.

‘All we want them to do is make the riverbank look more appealing and it’s not too much to ask for from the OPW. We are not looking for manicured beds but it’s an unnatural bed and we could give Mother Nature a helping hand,’ said Cllr Coughlan.

‘We have not the time to be going through hundreds of documents and all we want to know is there a plan?’

Cllr Coughlan also said Bandon Bridge needs to be cleaned up. ‘It’s the fulcrum of the town and we need to mind and cherish it and fishing is a major staple of the river.’

She had previously raised the issue at last month’s meeting said then that the banks had begun to self-seed and look ‘quite scrubby’. Cllr Coughlan also said the re-introduction of a biodiversity plan could be of benefit as it was beginning to look ‘very sterile.’

Cllr Alan Coleman (Ind) supported her call and said it was amazing that the members of the OPW have to be prompted by the Municipal District.

‘It’s very visible for people crossing the bridge and I can’t believe they don’t have a budget or plan,’ said Cllr Coleman. Council official Mac Dara Ó h-Icí said they would write back to the OPW on the matter.

Meanwhile, Cllr Sean O’Donovan (FF) raised the issue of the footbridge and the fact the surface was extremely slippery last year due to the cold weather and had to be closed on occasions. Cllr O’Donovan said he raised the issue last year as well and was told by the OPW that salt would damage the surface.

Councillors agreed they would write again to the OPW on the matter.