Helen’s Bay is a “town under siege” due to staycationers, parking and anti-social behaviour, according to a local elected representative.
At this week’s full meeting of Ards North Down Council, UUP Alderman Marion Smith received cross-party support from fellow elected members on her proposal to call on Stormont Ministers Nichola Mallon and Edwin Poots to engage in urgent talks about the noise, harassment and parking issues facing locals at the scenic North Down location.
The council had asked the Department for Infrastructure for the inclusion of Helen’s Bay and Crawfordsburn in their routine car parking enforcement routes due to a deluge of complaints by residents about illegal parking.
The Stormont department said in a letter to the council there was a “finite” traffic attendant resource, and added: “The parking issues in Helen’s Bay do not justify adding this area onto our schedule for routine visits, however we will deploy to this area on occasions during the summer period.”
Alderman Smith’s proposal, passed by the council, states: “The reply from the Department for Infrastructure does little to address the ongoing problems with car parking and anti-social behaviour in the Helen’s Bay and Crawfordsburn areas.
“The council understands that resources for traffic management, policing and opening a country park are finite, however, Helen’s Bay cannot be closed down, nor can the problem of Crawfordsburn Country Park beach be ignored.
“While we encourage and welcome visitors to the area, the impact on local residents must be recognised and effectively managed. To this end, the council proposes a cross-party delegation of councillors seeking a meeting with the Ministers for Infrastructure and Environment, Agriculture and Rural Affairs to identify urgent actions that can be undertaken to alleviate the problems in the area.”
Alderman Smith told the council: “My response to the department’s reply is ‘do you really understand what is happening, particularly in Church Road?’
“Residents are finding it difficult to have enough space to drive a car down the middle of the road between parked cars that are over yellow lines, blocking footpaths. Residents are not able to get out of their driveways.
“It has come to the point where Helen’s Bay is a town under siege, with the roads being closed, trains not taking passengers, residents of Church Road almost afraid of driving out of their own driveway. This is wrong.”
She acknowledged there had been an increase in parking attendants coming to the area but suggested the area could use mobile traffic wardens, using scooter type vehicles, as seen in Belfast, to visit Helen’s Bay twice a day.
She added: “The car park in Helen’s Bay holds approximately 80 to 100 cars. I drive around it regularly and it is packed tight. Its opening hours are 9am to 9pm, reducing in September from 9am to 7pm.
“The toilets in Helen’s Bay car park have the shutters down at 4pm – this is beyond acceptable, it is a health risk. To close the car parks at 9pm is draconian. The problem is once again staffing, both external staff and Country Park staff. The hours I understand are being reviewed, but again, this is not a decision taken locally.
“I understand finance and manpower are finite but surely the problems here cannot be ignored with an attitude which suggests ‘Oh Well, once the cold weather comes the problem will be solved’.”
She added: “Litter has become generally accepted, and once again, it is being looked at as someone else’s problem. Let me make it very clear, it is not acceptable. We welcome visitors to our parks and beaches, but we cannot continue to allow the piles of litter that is left – it is disgusting.
“At the same time I have to give the utmost credit to the residents of Church Road and Helen’s Bay who go out and collect as much of the rubbish as they can on a daily basis. They have a pride in their village, and they are trying to keep some sort of order in it.”
