Green Party members Kenneth Martin, Cllr Cadogan Enright and Pat Ward under the railway bridge.

Down Councillor Cadogan Enright expressed grave concern at the manner in which the Roads Service is failing to upkeep the stone-built railway bridge on the road to Crossgar out of Ballynahinch.

Cllr Cadogan Enright said, “Pedestrians approaching the bridge from the Ballynahinch side will find that the pathway opens up into a sudden 14ft drop owing to the failure to upkeep the parapet. The pathway on the Crossgar side also leads to an 8ft drop where the parapet has been side-swiped by an articulated lorry. This area is also used for rough drinking.”

“I have contacted the Roads Service and demanded immediate repairs as someone could easily be killed or seriously injured. Furthermore I have contacted Community Police officers regarding the drinking problem,” said Cllr Enright.

Cadogan Enright argued for the preservation of local railway lines. He said, “Local Green Party members have managed to persuade the Roads Service to remove ivy and stop trees growing into the stonework of the bridge. However we have concerns that the Roads Service may see this unique part of our railway heritage and infrastructure as expendable maybe as part of the Ballynahinch bypass proposals. This would be entirely unacceptable, as throughout Britain, Ireland and in Europe as a whole there is a clear planning imperative to preserve the railway infrastructure and not to build on railway lines as more and more railways are coming back into operation. In the Down District we have already seen for a track to be built on in Crossgar, we cannot compound this problem by demolishing railway bridges as well.”

“Whatever the long term plans the Roads Service has a duty to maintain this bridge in a manner that does not present a threat to life and limb,” concluded Green Party Cllr Cadogan Enright.

Press Cuttings: ‘Railway bridge gap exposes 14ft drop,’ warns Enright.