South Down MLA Colin McGrath (SDLP) has called on Newry Mourne and Down District Council to make a greater effort with the footpaths in Downpatrick and Newcastle as he said they were “filthy” in places.
Mr McGrath said: “A decision was taken a number of years ago to replace the footpaths with a type of stone that unfortunately shows up dirt marks all too easily. As a result, the paths in Downpatrick and Newcastle look dirty much of the time due to chewing gum, fizzy drinks and fast food.
“The only current method for cleaning this is to power hose the surface, but this apparently can only be done one or twice a year if we are lucky. I have asked the Council to investigate purchasing some type of cleaning machine that would allow this process to be undertaken on a more regular basis.
“Businesses in the area pay far too high an amount for business rates as it stands and they should rightly expect a decent level of service in return. It should not be too much for them to expect the surfaces of the footpaths outside their businesses to be clean.
“Downpatrick and Newcastle are both tourist destinations and need to appeal to visitors but also to locals too. They currently are not up to the mark and need to be tended to immediately, added Mr McGrath.
A spokesperson for Newry Mourne and Down District Council explained: “The Council monitors street washing requirements for both Newcastle and Downpatrick during the summer season, when the staining of footpaths can be more prominent. Â street washing is carried out with a mechanical sweeper/scrubber or powerwashing machine (contractor) and these areas, depending on staining, are cleaned once or twice a year.
“Because of limited resources and budget, additional street washing would mean additional expense and could have an impact on the rates, if cleansing is increased.
“The mechanical sweeper/scrubber will be in Downpatrick during the first week of July and is then scheduled to clean Newcastle the following week.
“The Council will continue to assess litter bin requirements in both towns to help address littering issues.”
