Call for talks after parking chaos outside Mid Ulster beauty spot
After the weekend's parking chaos outside a forest park in Mid Ulster, moves are afoot for talks with a view to providing proper parking facilities.
Dozens of cars were parked on the narrow roads leading to Iniscarn Forest at the foot of Slieve Gallion.
Things got so bad at one point that the local police posted a picture on their social media page pleading with motorists to show consideration to other road users.
The post reads: "Nice day for a walk and some fresh air and here in Mid Ulster we have some of the most scenic places to visit, but please think about where you are parking and be considerate to other road users and local residents.
Most Popular
-
1
Feile 2022: Tourism NI indicates it could pull funding for West Belfast Festival unless organisers live up to ‘responsibility to promote good relations’
-
2
PUP boss Billy Hutchinson indicates black flags bearing UVF slogan and UVF imagery were not put up by the UVF
-
3
Busy NI road to remain closed for 'most of the day' after serious road traffic collision
-
4
Cliftonville FC stonewalls questions after Ronan Hale pictured with arm around player wearing republican rifle slogan
-
5
‘He needs to leave our club NOW!’ Strong reaction Larne FC’s John Herron being pictured in ‘tiocfaidh ar la’ gun top as club suspends him
"We have been regularly checking local beauty spots and following reports from local residents and councillors we attended Iniscairn Forest this morning and spoke with several drivers regarding parking and other issues."
Sinn Féin councillor Catherin Elattar said she has raised the issue at council meetings of parking safety around the forest and other local beauty spots.
She said: “During lockdown, people are exercising more in our local forests. It’s great to see so many people out walking and discovering the beauty of our local area but we all need to be mindful that we are parking safely and not endangering other walkers or impeding local traffic, including farm vehicles.
“I have asked again for a meeting with forestry service and council to look at providing car parking at Iniscarn Forest. This area in particular has become very popular in recent months and we need to ensure that everyone can enjoy it safely.”
---Thank you for reading this article. We're more reliant on your support than ever as the shift in consumer habits brought about by Coronavirus impacts our advertisers.
Please consider purchasing a copy of the paper. You can also support trusted, fact-checked journalism by taking out a digital subscription of the News Letter.