85 per cent of Rossbay/Browning Drive residents reject greenway link

EIGHTY-FIVE per cent of people living in Rossbay and Browning Drive do not support a proposal to create a connecting link through the riverside estates to a new greenway for cyclists and walkers along the eastbank of the Foyle.

A Derry City Council survey of people living in the Browning Drive, Ebrington Park, Rockport Park, McCrory Park and Rossbay areas undertaken to gauge opinion on the proposed greenway and its connecting links found people have deep concerns about anti-social behaviour and disruption.

The results of the survey were presented to the Council Environmental Services Committee on Thursday.

A total of 153 questionnaires were hand delivered to households in the area with 120 returned through personal collection and post - a 78 per cent return rate.

Sixt-three per cent of those surveyed in Browning Drive and 39 per cent of the Rossbay catchment area supported the concept of the Connect2 project to link the new Peace Bridge to the Foyle Bridge.

Thirty-five per cent of those surveyed said they would use the proposed Greenway network when completed.

But the vast majority were unhappy at the prospect of allowing people use the estates to access the new cyclepath. Eighty-five per cent of those surveyed did not support the need for a connecting link to the Greenway at Rossbay and Browning Drive.

This was unchanged despite a proposal to install gated access between the residential areas and the path.

A report to the Environmental Services Committee cited a range of misgivings raised by residents in their responses.

Amongst the concerns raised were the "potential for increased anti-social behaviour; people parking cars…..the estate will be used as a car park; noise; reduction in community safety; elderly population feels vulnerable; chances of burglary increased; greater chance of damage to our property; this will cause a drop in house values; change the character of a quiet residential area; litter; loitering; complete loss of privacy; most properties adjacent to the route are occupied by single elderly women; escape route for vandals, burglars etc; will create a haven for drinkers, drug takers etc; path will increase threats to our children; increased pedestrian traffic through a private estate; and access here is not necessary as we are so close to St Columb's Park."

The Council report concluded: "It is clear that many of the residents recognise the benefits of the scheme however concerns regarding community safety, antisocial behaviour and quality of life outweigh these. This is reflected in the fact that only 13 per cent of those surveyed support the need for linkages."

The Foyle Greenway on the other side of the river has been a roaring success since its establishment with an estimated 176,000 users utilising that path for both cycling and walking annually. When asked about the Connect2 proposal, 95.2 per cent of these users indicated their support for the scheme.

The Council's Environmental Services Committee were advised that residents of the riverside estates in the Waterside seem primarily concerned with the the prospect of non-residents using the area for access.

"The marked variance between these results and the figures obtained from this questionnaire survey can be attributed directly to concerns over the proposed connection points at Browning Drive and Rossbay and the concerns these have raised regarding antisocial activity and community safety," councillors were informed.

Following the survey a meeting with concerned residents Ilex, DRD Roads Service, Planning Service, Sustrans, Council Officers and councillors was held to discuss the issues.

Concerns were further expressed and the Council report notes: "It was agreed that the agencies would undertake further work to consider options and review proposals in an attempt to mitigate residents' concerns and on completion of this analysis a further meeting of all concerned together with residents representatives would then be arranged.

"A similar meeting with representatives of residents of the Ebrington Park, Rockport Park, Mccrory Park and Ross Bay area is currently in the process of being organised."

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