Charles Simmonds, who now lives in Heringsdorf, Germany, says that, alongside encountering a dumped three-piece suite, he also found a city that was difficult to navigate on foot.

Mr. Simmonds says that getting around the city without a car is near impossible.

The Derry ex-pat, who returned to the city for a short break with his German-born wife and nine-year-old son, said: "We were disappointed by the amount of litter in the town and the surrounding countryside. On a short cycle run from the city to Grianan Fort, we found a three-piece suite and a bicycle lying dumped at the roadside, not to mention the innumerable bottles, cans, plastic bags, fast food packaging and pieces of dog dirt.

"The edge-of-town shopping centres serve to exacerbate the town's congestion. If you want to fully participate in life in Derry you have little choice but to buy a car, or preferably two."

Mr. Simmonds says that visiting cyclists face a dangerous trek out of the city.

"There is little real provision for cyclists or pedestrians either within the town or beyond in terms of dedicated cycle routes or footpaths. Often in the town we were forced to ride our bicycles on the pavement. Country roads are particularly unpleasant and dangerous for the cyclists and pedestrians with drivers careering around corners on narrow hedge-lined roads at break-neck speed. It takes up to an hour peddling through noisy and dangerous streets before one can finally reach the open country."

Tour guide and city centre business man Martin McCrossan agrees that the city does have a litter problem.

"I would agree that there is a problem with litter, we do see it in some areas that we take tourists to", he said. "However, the council has been pro-active in trying to tackle this and wardens and regularly out picking up rubbish. There is also very poor provision for cyclists and no established cycle network."

Mr. McCrossan says that more investment in the city's tourist infrastructure is needed. "The provision for tourists in Derry has a long way to go. I think we jumped to quick for what we settled for out of the peace process in terms of a monetary settlement. Tourism is the fastest growing industry, we need to go back and talk to central government to secure more funds. We are dependant on this industry for our future prosperity."