Council seeking ‘long-term solution’ to littering near popular walkway

CORK County Council says it is working to find a solution to the ongoing issue of littering near the harbour in Bantry.

A spokesperson for the Council was responding to queries following comments from a number of Bantry residents who contacted this paper about ongoing issues in the Harbour View area near the Beicin loop walkway which is popular with locals.

The walkway begins at a new grassy area which was developed by Cork County Council in recent years, but now a number of local residents have contacted The Southern Star about the ongoing problem of fly-tipping, of sometimes large objects, on the road near the walkway.

‘Friends of mine refuse to use that walkway now, because of the state of the approach road,’ one resident said.

And she added that a small group of local residents who were regular users of the Beicin Walk have made numerous approaches to Cork County Council staff, local politicians and even the gardaí, about the littering, and also some anti-social behaviour in the area, but nothing has been done.

In photographs taken by the residents, large items of rubbish are seen deposited on the roadside, which is also one of the approach areas to the town for tourists disembarking off boats at a local slipway, and a local marine business.

Some of the items apparently dumped there include several wooden pallets, old tyres, old trailers and bags of refuse.

Another resident contacted the newspaper to complain about rodents being seen in the area during their walk.

After several attempts to secure a response from Cork County Council over a period of three weeks, a spokesperson contacted The Southern Star last week.

‘Cork County Council acknowledges that there is an issue with littering at the Harbour View Area and can confirm that our environmental department is actively working with other Cork County Council departments, to provide a long-term resolution to this issue,’ they said.