Long calls for permanent end to Parkway 'eyesore'

9.11.05am BST (GMT +0100) Fri 9th Jun 2006

East Belfast Alliance MLA Cllr Naomi Long

East Belfast Alliance MLA Cllr Naomi Long has called for Roads Service and City Council to develop a proper maintenance strategy for the upkeep of Parkway, part of the Outer Ring, which is the main route from the George Best Belfast City Airport to East and South Belfast.

The grassed areas and verges have finally been cut following complaints by Cllr Long on behalf of local residents. However, she believes that a proper maintenance strategy must be drawn up by Roads Service and the Council to manage the upkeep of this major route on a permanent basis.

Cllr Long said: "Many local people contacted me to complain about the state of the roundabout and the green areas along Parkway, which have been allowed to get into a disgraceful condition not just this year, but repeatedly over the last couple of years.

"Several people expressed particular concern as this road is often a visitor's first view of Northern Ireland as they enter East Belfast from the City Airport and it hardly creates a good impression of the City when the verges are allowed to become so unkempt, overgrown and unsightly particularly at the start of the tourist season.

"A first cut has now been undertaken; however, I am pressing Roads Service and Belfast City Council to develop jointly a programme of more effective maintenance so that residents and visitors are not confronted by a jungle of overgrown weeds when they pass along this busy route."

ENDS