Call to relocate ‘unsightly’ Ballina bottle banks

Mayo County Council will continue to examine alternative locations for bottle banks at two sites in Ballina after councillors raised concerns over their impact on the town’s appearance, accessibility and parking.

Fine Gael Cllr Marie-Thérèse Duffy called on the local authority to relocate the bottle bank directly behind the Humbert Monument away from the road and to the rear of Humbert Street Car Park. She also called for the bottle bank at Market Square to be relocated to free up parking spaces and improve accessibility while enhancing the streetscape.

“Humbert Monument as you drive onto the really busy roundabout, you have the monument, the trees, and it is a centre point in our town,” she told the September meeting of Ballina Municipal District. “I’m asking that the banks are remove because they directly in your line of sight as you look at the monument.

“I think it would improve the visual aesthetic of that location if they were moved. People congregate from the area, it is a meeting point. When you look at the bottle banks it isn't very sightly, it isn't very pleasant,” she added.

Further to those bottle banks, Cllr Duffy asked that the bottle banks in Market Square be moved to free up valuable car parking spaces.

However, the council's senior executive engineer Teresa Durkin said an investigation into alternative locations had found that the current sites are the safest and most suitable.

“Following an investigation of alternative locations for the bottle banks, it was concluded that the current locations remain the most suitable, particularly in terms of access for the safe and efficient empty of bottle bank contents," Ms Durkin said.

She added that “the council will continue to examine and assess other potential locations so suitable alternatives be identified”.

Cllr Duffy queried the reference to the safe and efficient emptying of the banks, saying that even if they were moved to the rear of Humbert Street Car Park, the company emptying them would use the same entrance and exit.

Ms Durkin said the company responsible for emptying the bottle banks had indicated that the current location was the most efficient for them. She added that an engineer is continuing to examine the situation.

Head of the Ballina Municipal District Anna Connor noted that the bottle banks have to be lifted and swung when they are emptied, meaning sufficient space is required to carry out the process safely.

“It is an issue, it is a challenge. We can’t put bottle banks anywhere, it has to be carefully considered in the sense that you’re able to navigate around them in a safe way,” she explained, adding that it will be looked at but the council has to work with the company who empties them as well.

• Published as part of the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme.