Athlone improves to ‘clean’ status in latest litter survey as Ballinasloe joins top five
By Rebekah O'Reilly
There has been a marked improvement for Athlone in the latest litter survey, as the Midlands town received a 'clean to European norms' ranking.
The town was ranked in 24th place in the survey conducted by business group Irish Business Against Litter (IBAL), a jump from its previous ranking of 32nd place and its classification as 'moderately littered' in January of this year.
The latest survey noted that there were "no heavily littered sites this time around", with improvements noticeable at Paradise Row, O'Dowd House, Court Devenish and Shops at the corner of Ballymahon Road and Southern Station Road.
Ranking sites included the student accommodation at Glen Abhainn Village and Dublin Gate Street and Church Street, which all received a Grade A score. R446 from Kilmartin Roundabout to Brideswell St also received top marks.
Inspectors from An Taisce, who carry out the litter survey on behalf of IBAL, described Glen Abhainn Village as "in very good order" with regards to litter. They said the student accommodation area "was freshly presented and very well maintained".
Feedback for Dublin Gate Street and Church Street gave particular praise for paving, planter boxes, wooden seating and covered seating areas which were "all very freshly presented at this city centre site".
The R446 from Kilmartin Roundabout to Brideswell St. was said to be "very much deserving of the top litter grade" and created an excellent overall impression "with litter free pavements and road surfaces".
Meanwhile Ballinsaloe ranked joint 5th out of 40 towns and cities in the latest survey, earning the top ranking of "Cleaner than European Norms" in its first year returning to the rankings.
All sites in the town scored either a Grade A or B, with no heavily littered sites Ballinasloe Harbour and Marina was among the standout locations, with judges reporting a "complete absence of litter".
The Deposit Return Scheme facility at Lidl also achieved a Grade A rating, with inspectors describing it as a "perfectly clean and litter free facility", although they noted that the bin for discarded or rejected cans and bottles "was quite full at time of IBAL visit."
The Ballinasloe Horse Fair Monument and surrounding area was commended as a "striking feature", with judges stating that it was "very well presented and maintained with all elements in very good order" and "excellent with regards to litter."
Meanwhile, the R348 approach road into the town was praised as a "fresh and welcoming approach to Ballinasloe", with inspectors noting that properties were well maintained and that "the overall impression was a very good one, with regards to litter."