A Belfast city councillor has urged Lagan Tow Path users to respect the space amid growing rubbish complaints.
Brian Smyth, a Green Party represenative for Lisnasharragh, made the appeal to walkers and other users of the Tow Path following reports of overflowing bins and photographs of rubbish strewn along the stretch of the route between Stranmillis and Shaw’s Bridge.
This part of the Tow Path is managed by Belfast City Council, while Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council oversees another section.
Mr Smyth said he intends to raise the issue of bin provision along the route with council at the earliest opportunity and has requested more of them be installed.
But he also said users of the increasingly popular route have a responsibility not to stuff visibly full bins with additional waste.
“If the bins are overflowing, take your rubbish home,” he said.
“It’s not difficult. It’s that mentality of ‘leave no trace’. Especially if people are over towards the Lock Keeper’s Cottage, where there’s a car park and other facilities, there’s no real excuse.”
Mr Smyth said he was aware of similar problems having cropped up along the Tow Path during the Christmas period, which had partially been put down to a shortage of collection workers during the holidays.
The route is one of Northern Ireland’s most popular outdoor spaces, with more than 1.4m users recorded each year.
One reader contacted The Irish News with photographs of two bins overflowing with refuse along the stretch of the path between Stranmillis and the Lock Keeper’s Cottage.
“There are very few bins on the route and they don’t seem to have been emptied for some time,” the reader said.
“The outcome is ugly and likely to be a health hazard which will attract rats.”
Belfast City Council has been contacted for comment.
