‘Recurring mess at Roddens cannot be allowed to continue’ Stewart

In a statement, Mr. Stewart said that the Department for Infrastructure Roads Service has been “completely ineffective” in stopping the developer creating a mess on the road and making it a danger to roads users.

“A year ago, an entire circuit from the Roddens to the old Bleach Green site back up to the Roddens was a muddy mess with loads of soil and rubble going back and forth.

“That eventually stopped but not before half the town was inconvenienced and residents, especially in the lower Roddens, had to cope with their cars and property being covered with dirt on a daily basis.

“Now we have the recurring situation where every time it rains a muddy river is basically flowing out of the site over the footpath and down the Roddens.

“Continually, I have been getting complaints and continually, I have been getting onto the DfI Roads Service to ask them enforce their own regulations to stop this occurring.

“A site owner has a legal responsibility under the Roads (Northern Ireland) Order 1993 to keep their site clean and stop contents getting onto the public highway.

“I have to say that for a year now I have found the DfI Roads approach to this to have been pathetic. They took a view early on that it wasn’t causing a sufficient danger to roads safety and the latest is that they have sent a warning letter to the site operator.

“If a site owner cannot keep the roads in a reasonable condition, the site should be closed down until they can devise a system that can keep the mud and water off the public road.”