Truesdale and McMurray welcome measures to control anti-social behaviour in Newcastle at Donard Park
Andrew McMurray MLA and Cllr Jill Truesdale (both Alliance) have welcomed measures, introduced over the past year, which will help address anti-social behaviour during car meets at Donard car park in Newcastle.
South Down Alliance MLA Andrew McMurray said: “These car meets in Donard Park are causing havoc for local residents in assisted living accommodation who live all around Donard Park.
“The excessive noise, smoke, revving and bangs from exhausts are dangerous and frightening.
“These cars are also parked next to football fields which are used regularly by local football clubs, sports groups and schools.
“This is a public car park heavily used by visitors to the town, and it is completely unacceptable to have this type of behaviour going on. With the new Sports Hub being built in the park there will be a lot more recreational usage so from a safety point of view this antisocial behaviour has to stop.”
Mournes Councillor Truesdale added: “I have been contacted by many tourists who have enjoyed their time in Newcastle but say due to the scourge of anti-social driving behaviour, they will not be returning.
“I live in the general vicinity of the park and have done so for over twenty years, and it has never been as dreadful as it is now.”
The spotlight on antisocial behaviour in Newcastle comes as questions to the Minister for Infrastructure, submitted by Andrew McMurray, revealed the positive impact noise enforcement at the roadside could have, if properly funded.
The South Down MLA requested details of joint Driver and Vehicle Agency and PSNI road safety operations since calibrated sound meters were introduced earlier this year to assist with the enforcement of noisy and nuisance vehicle noise emissions at the roadside.
The Minister’s response revealed that between June and November, DVA and the PSNI had carried out eight joint road safety operations, across Northern Ireland, where calibrated noise meters were used to measure noise emissions from vehicles at the roadside.
These operations resulted in four prosecutions against drivers for noise emission readings in excess of 104 decibels, as well as a further 14 Fixed Penalty Notices for readings in excess of 99 decibels. These included one prosecution and three fixed penalty notices issued in Newry, Mourne and Down district.
Cllr Truesdale added: “These prosecutions and penalties show that calibrated sound meters used at the roadside can really help clamp down on anti-social behaviour of the kind we are seeing at Donard Park.
“It is disappointing to see that only eight of these operations have been carried out across Northern Ireland over the course of five months – it all comes down to funding.”
The Department for Infrastructure also consulted on a proposal to introduce diesel particulate testing during roadside spot checks, earlier this year.
The Alliance party supported the proposal, stating that there should be “no tolerance for excessively emitting vehicles” and that “more than one avenue” should be used to identify these vehicles, but raised the potential cost and staffing requirements needed to deliver the policy.
Earlier this year, Truesdale and McMurray also welcomed the installation of new, higher and harder ramps in the main Donard car park. Cllr Truesdale had been lobbying council officers to install these ramps to stop cars from building up speed within the car park.
The Mournes Councillor said: “I was delighted when these new ramps were finally installed. Donard Park is a council owned car park and therefore the onus is on the council to work with the PSNI to place the health, wellbeing and safety of residents and visitors at the top of the agenda.”
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