Call for car lying in River Lagan for years to be removed
The Green Party is calling for the removal of an old car that has been in the River Lagan at Lisburn for prolonged period.
In a statement, the party said the dumped car is lying in the river “just minutes” from Lisburn’s council chamber, and that it has been there for years.
The party said it is working with local group Lagan Valley Greens to highlight the matter and run a petition calling for its removal.
It claims that this this is a test of whether local agencies and Lisburn & Castlereagh Council will take responsibility for “long-standing pollution in plain sight”.
Green Party Councillor Anthony Flynn said the response so far has been unacceptable.
“This car has been left in the river for years, right in the heart of the community, and the public deserves better than excuses and buck-passing,” he said. “If something like this can be ignored for so long, what message does that send about other fly-tipping sites?”
Richard Gill of Lagan Valley Greens said the case shows how historic neglect is allowed to become normal.
“It’s appalling to see the Lagan treated like this. If the Council and Stormont can’t deal with an obvious long-term pollution problem, how can people trust them to protect the river from bigger environmental threats?”
The group is calling for the car to be removed, responsibility to be agreed, and a proper clean-up plan for the Lagan.
The News Letter has invited Lisburn and Lisburn & Castlereagh Council and the Department of Infrastructure to respond.