Most people can't just move out of the area!

Container falls of UFBP lorry near bus stop, November 22nd 2010.

A few weeks ago we received a reminder of the dangers of commercial traffic on winding country roads.  A lorry shed its load coming from Glenfarm subsidiary UFBP fifty yards from a bus stop.  The incident provides a sharp illustration of the fears of residents along the proposed routes to and from the incinerator, not least as it leaves people wondering about the basic failures in health and safety processes and procedures that would allow a container to fall off the back of a lorry!

In Lisburn last year Jeffrey Donaldson, the MP for the area until the last election, highlighted that he had already made dozens of complaints to DOE Roads Services on behalf of local residents, stemming from issues with existing HGV traffic to and from the Ulster Farm By-Products plant.  There is already a problem with lorries on narrow country roads as illustrated by this week's incident.  Without doubt a step change in the volume of traffic will make it much worse.

Back in October I had dinner with a prominent Northern Ireland businessman, who was originally from Belfast, but now lives in Glenavy.  His companies employ over 1000 people in Northern Ireland.  He made it clear that he didn't feel strongly about some of the issues the community was concerned about (I emphasized he was a "blow-in" so didn't feel the same connection with Lough Neagh, etc, as us indigenous folks).  However, he thought that CALNI was grossly understating the roads aspect of the Moy Park Incinerator proposal, i.e. the danger and inconvenience posed by hundreds of HGVs trundling down country roads and busy village main streets each day.

In particular, he highlighted that he had made an offer on a house along one of the transport routes to the plant; but swiftly backed out of it and bought a house in a different part Glenavy once he learned about the proposal.  We both lamented that most home owners along the routes can't move and most likely won't be able to do so for the foreseeable future.

For me there are a number of aspects to the roads issue, over and above the fact that the local roads aren't even adequate for the current traffic.

The first is that locating a plant of this nature, way off the beaten track, down winding country roads, in what has become a key commuter area is just a plain dumb idea!

There are lots of sites and industrial areas with world class transport links in Northern Ireland.   Is the plan for us to leave these vacant, forget about all the great road infrastructure and start diverting industrial traffic down winding country roads?

Next, and equally significant, the Northern route into the plant passes through Crumlin main Street, past the new TESCO store, a mini-roundabout beside the Ulster Bank, etc. Crumlin Main Street is busy seven days a week and congestion is already a problem and has been for decades.

Why divert HGV traffic through the town centre? Seems like a really dumb idea?

As highlighted by this week's incident, the locals are very concerned as there are a number of bus stops, either for school buses or general commuters along the routes, including right beside the scene of this week's problems and at the junction of the Ballyvannon Road itself.  Parents are rightly concerned for the safety of their children.  Having a steady stream of HGV traffic to and fro past school bus stops on winding country roads is not a good idea; even more so when there is already a history of issues in the area.

CALNI commissioned a professional road and traffic report on the incinerator proposal, by Kelvin Clarke and Co.  Their conclusion was that while transport issues were most probably not a knock-out for the proposal, it was a poor choice of site given the amount of HGV traffic.  However, critically after driving the route they identified a number of issues that needed to be remedied to make the roads acceptable, including widening the Ballyvannon Road junction with the Lurgan Road.

Planning Services and the DOE Roads Division completely brushed aside the issues raised in this report and suggested remedies.

Candidly, this left me with the impression that the people who carried out the work for the DOE did their initial work as a "desk exercise" and never drove the route.  They also seem to be oblivious to the existing issues in the area.  Rather than admit their oversight and accept what were reasonable suggestions from a credible firm, they brushed them aside to save face.

Is this how we want our government department's to act when children's lives could be at stake?

From my perspective, in circumventing the process by not calling a Public Inquiry, Minister Poots has denied our community the opportunity to raise simple questions, including the roads issue, and demand reasonable remedies.

Best,

Danny
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t:  dannymoore_ni

CALNI Press Release

24 November 2010

DANGEROUS ROAD ACCIDENT RENEWS FEARS OVER INCINERATOR

Another accident near Glenavy has convinced residents that school children and families are in real danger if hundreds of additional lorries are allowed to travel their roads every day to service the proposed Moy Park Incinerator.

At midday yesterday a lorry delivering to Ulster Farm By-Products was turning from the main Lurgan Road onto the Station Road at the Horse Shoe Inn, when one of the two containers on the rear fell off the lorry and landed on the road in-front of oncoming traffic.

According to local man, Damian Horner, it is not the first time this has happened. “A container came off about a mile further up this same road over a year ago and when a friend of mine came upon it, a field was covered in bits of rotting chicken.”

“This time the container was lying on the wrong side of the road narrowly missing cars which could have been coming the other way. Even more frightening is the danger to school children who could have been waiting on a bus at the junction, they would have been dead.”

Speaking on behalf of the community, CALNI Chairman Ray Clarke, said this was just one of many accidents that routinely happen on the roads around Ulster Farm By-Products, one of the partners in the Moy Park Incinerator.

“Thankfully this time someone had the presence of mind to record the very real danger we face daily on these small rural roads.  It is inconceivable that the Roads Service believe these roads are suitable to handle hundreds of additional lorries every day.

“This Incinerator must be stopped and we call on Edwin Poots to reconsider his decision rather than force the community to continue with court action.”

ENDS

For further information contact Sheila Davidson on 07785793672