Translink has taken action to address the serious issue of fly-tipping along the railway line in Antrim coinciding with TIDY Northern Ireland's Big Spring Clean month.

With the support of Antrim Borough Council, the NI Housing Executive and community representatives from Parkhall Estate which is situated close to the railway line, a major clean-up recently took place that stretched from the road bridge near High Street in the town centre to the electricity sub-station.

Using a mini-excavator to remove larger items such as a dumped sofa, eight skips of waste were removed from the trackside – the rubbish had been tossed over perimeter fencing separating the railway line and surrounding residential areas. Other items cleared away from the site included old TV sets, carpet & lino, bedroom furniture, black bin-liners filled with garden cuttings, a kid’s trike and highchair alongside more ‘common’ pieces of discarded litter.

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Translink's Group Environmental Manager, Andy Bate, said: "As a large transport organisation operating throughout Northern Ireland, we are committed to environmental care and actively take steps to address litter.

"Our network-wide annual TIDY Translink Awards aim to create a more attractive environmentally-friendly bus and rail environment for everyone to enjoy and, as a result, we have seen significant improvements in environmental performance at our stations.

"Aside from fly-tipping's environmental impact, it’s also a major safety issue and could result in serious or even potentially fatal accidents – these are hazards our passengers and employees should not have to face.

"We take illegal dumping very seriously and we would like to remind the public that individuals responsible for dumping waste illegally will be prosecuted. We would urge anyone who witnesses illegally dumping on Translink property to contact their local council with further details.

"This is also an exciting time for passenger transport in Antrim as the local station currently undergoes a £2.9 million extensive upgrade to develop it into Northern Ireland’s first sustainable station. This latest clean-up reinforces ongoing environmental enhancement measures within the area and we would ask for the continued support of residents and local representatives to build on progress made so far."

(CD)