Residents angry over scrambler issues at Dodder Valley Park
By Aideen O'Flaherty
PROBLEMS with people on scrambler bikes gaining access to Dodder Valley Park, and then “revving and tearing the grass up”, have gotten noticeably worse in recent years since a bridge was constructed connecting the park to Firhouse, according to a longtime local resident.
People on scrambler bikes regularly gain access to the park, according to local man Emmet Burke, by coming over the bridge from the direction of Firhouse and also using the park’s Seskin View Road access point.
Dodder Valley Park is experiencing scrambler bike issues
Mr Burke told The Echo: “They have easy access and they come in from the bridge and from Seskin View, they rev up and then tear the grass up because no one’s going to go near them.
“It was bad before but now it’s terrible – they enjoy coming up and tearing up the field.
“If I’m in my house watching TV I can hear them when they pass by.
“They don’t live in the area, so they don’t care about the area.”
Mr Burke added: “If this was Stephen’s Green Park or the Phoenix Park and they were up there they would be stopped at the first instance.”
There is currently a kissing gate, a barrier and a low perimeter wall located at the park’s Seskin View access point, while the Firhouse Road access point is through a stone wall entrance structure and a small barrier wall with pedestrian and bicycle access on either side.
Make it more awkward
Mr Burke said: “The gates are left wide open, there should be more of an effort to make it more awkward for the people on the scramblers to get into the park.”
A spokeswoman for South Dublin County Council told The Echo: “The council is aware of protracted and on-going problems associated with motor bikes, scramblers and quads at various locations across the county, and has been working with An Garda Síochána and other stakeholders in relation to this issue.
“Our Public Realm crews have initiated works in attempts to combat the problem, for example a run of 1.2-metre-high fencing along the side of green space areas, provision of bollards etc., but these have not stemmed the actions of a minority who continue to engage in anti-social and menacing behaviour.
“While we are currently examining potential other options to strengthen the boundaries to restrict unwelcome access at various locations we must be cognisant of and must operate within existing resources and budgets.”
TAGS news
