Bigger car parks should be built at some of Northern Ireland’s most popular outside attractions

On page 16 we report concern in North Down about excess visitors to Helen’s Bay and Crawfordsburn.

Residents are dismayed at the conduct of some younger crowds on the beaches and at the illegal parking that is blocking their homes.

Most homeowners will sympathise with their concerns.

But Alderman Marion Smith says an interesting thing: “While we encourage and welcome visitors to the area, the impact on local residents must be recognised.”

And that is the crux of the problem.

It is no bad thing that people across Northern Ireland have been flocking to its finest spots. In lockdown, there was not much else to do and once restrictions allowed more normal travel to return, the numbers visiting attractive locations became unmanageable.

From Cairn Wood in the Craigantlet Hills to Hillsborough Forest Park, and other locations across the Province, car parks have often been full and visitors have been turned away.

One elementary thing could be done about this: car parks could be expanded.

This is not possible in, for example, Helen’s Bay, where there is no space, but it might be feasible at nearby Crawfordsburn Country Park and many other rural locations.

Plenty of public money has been squandered in NI over the years but buying the odd field for parking, to improve access to the outdoors, would be a lasting use of funds.

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