There’s a car submerged in the River Lagan, a short walk from the council chamber, that has been left to rot for years. Photos confirm it’s a long-standing dump - and it remains in the river while water levels are already low and habitat is under pressure.
When this was reported, Lisburn & Castlereagh Council passed the matter to DfI Rivers. DfI Rivers has said it will not remove the vehicle because it does not obstruct the flow of the river, and that its long presence may even have reduced environmental risk. Repeated requests for a clear answer and a removal timetable have been met with agencies pointing to one another.
This is not an acceptable response. A car should not be allowed to remain in a river simply because no single body will take ownership of removing it. Leaving it in place sets a precedent that historic pollution can be quietly tolerated rather than cleaned up.
We, the undersigned, call on Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council and DfI Rivers Directorate to:
- Agree, jointly and publicly, which body is responsible for removing the vehicle.
- Publish a clear timetable for its removal and for the clean-up of the surrounding riverbank.
- Review how historic fly-tipping in rivers is identified and dealt with, so that other long-standing dumps are not left indefinitely.
- Take steps to protect wildlife and the towpath in the meantime, particularly while water levels remain low.
The River Lagan is a public asset. It deserves better than being treated as a place where problems are left to disappear over time.