Derry reps call for Muff Glen Bridge to be reinstated due to danger posed to children and families

A Council motion calling for council to write to the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs to ask for the Muff Glen bridge to be reinstated has passed unanimously.
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There has been growing concern about the Muff Glen bridge, which was damaged during the floods in 2017, and which now poses a significant health and safety risk to the public, elected representatives heard.

The issue was raised by SDLP Councillor Declan Norris, who expressed concern about the danger posed to children and families who are forced to walk along a busy road due to the damaged bridge.

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Colr Norris said: “On August 23, 2017 a flood caused serious damage to our local area and as you’re all aware the Muff Glen Bridge was washed away and there’s been multiple calls for it to be reinstated or a new one sited in a different location.

Muff GlenMuff Glen
Muff Glen

“It should be a scenic four kilometre circular walk through the woods passing a couple of waterfalls but since its been washed away the public using the Glen cannot walk a full loop of the forest, therefore leading people out on to the Edenreagh Road having to walk down this road back to their car.

“So what you have is young children and families walking on this road where there’ll be tractors and cars coming down at 60 miles per hour.”

Colr. Norris highlighted the importance of replacing the bridge as a matter of health and safety, calling for the Forest Service and the Department of Infrastructure to work together on finding a solution. He suggested a possible solution could be replacing the bridge with a dam further downstream, allowing the public to cross the Muff River safely and protecting Eglinton from potential flooding.

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“I believe the Forest Service has an obligation to make Muff Glen safe to use and I believe the Department of Infrastructure has an obligation to look for a solution regarding the flooding,” he added.

SDLP Colr. Declan Norris.SDLP Colr. Declan Norris.
SDLP Colr. Declan Norris.

Alliance Colr. Rachael Ferguson described the area as ‘absolutely beautiful,’ but noted that the damaged bridge has made it unsafe to continue onto the main road.

She said: “I love taking my own children there and unfortunately you have to just turn back because it is too unsafe to continue.

“A lot of community groups and a lot of local people have been campaigning for a number of years since 2017. We’ve raised this a number of times through many of our committees and it’s been left to us as a council to pick up, basically for us to turn around and say that we were going to step in.

“I think it’s down to the Department and down to the Forestry Service and it’s time they commit to repair the bridge, put in something that will help with flood alleviation and anxiety and to give the forest back and the Glen back to the community.”

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Sinn Féin Colr. Alex Duffy expressed his support for addressing the issue, noting that Muff Glen is a valuable asset for the community. He said: “We should do whatever we can to ensure access to these assets are safe and accessible.”

Alderman Maurice Devenney emphasised that the responsibility falls on the Departments to restore the area to its former glory, whilst People Before Profit Colr. Maeve O’Neill highlighted the importance of community involvement in finding a solution for the bridge and loop walk.

The motion passed unanimously.

Gillian Anderson

Local Democracy Reporter

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