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TRALEE has improved its standing in the latest Irish Business Against Litter (IBAL) report by An Taisce released this morning.
Tralee was once again deemed Clean To European Norms in the latest poll and was placed 14th out of the 40 towns and cities.
In October 2021, Tralee came in 23rd place, down from 17th in the January 2021 results. Meanwhile, Killarney also improved coming in 13th place, compared to its 22nd position in the league back in October.
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An Taisce Report stated that, compared to a number of years ago, Tralee has been inching its way up the IBAL litter league over the last few years, with a very strong performance this time around.
There were six top ranking sites and no heavily littered ones. Top ranking sites included Manor West Shopping, the approach roads and The Mall, which, the report stated “was particularly freshly presented and maintained”.
Here’s what the report said about areas of town…
R875 Cork / Killarney Approach Road: Grade A. Clashlehane Roundabout was adorned with attractive planting and a striking life-size sculpture. All aspects of this route were in good order and there were no visible litter issues.
Manor West Shopping: Grade A. An exceptionally clean and well presented shopping centre environment. Paving, bins, signage, planting were all in excellent order. Apart from some cigarette butts, there was an absence of litter throughout.
Killierisk Road: Grade A. There was a virtual absence of litter along this route, just small amounts of coffee cups, fast-food wrapper and sweet papers, not enough to bring down the overall litter grade.
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The overall impression was a well maintained environment with some attractive planting noted at Castlewood Park.
N60: Grade B. (from junction of N70 and N86 roundabout to Castlemorris roundabout). There was a variety of food related litter along this stretch of road, much of it on the side of the road exiting Tralee.
Face-masks were the most prominent litter items. A ‘Welcome to Tralee’ banner was somewhat obscured by overgrown planting. Tidy Towns signage indicated the great success in that competition.
Sean Crispie Park: Grade B. A more ‘natural’ park environment than some other more cultivated ones. The main litter items present were food related and face masks. There were no litter bins / antilitter notices in the immediate vicinity.
High Street: Grade B. There are several closed down / vacant outlets along this short street but clearly a careful eye is kept on them as they didn’t impact in any negative way on the litter situation.
‘Tralee Townhouse’ premises was freshly presented and brightly painted. Much of the litter was at Kerry School of Music and Performing Arts – particularly within the heavily weeded area. Not much effort is required to address this.
‘The Island of Geese’: Grade A. A miscellaneous site, formerly derelict, currently under construction had no litter issues directly associated with it.
Pembroke Street: Grade A. A mural of horses at an empty site has taken away the ‘bare look’, but the overgrowth is now overhanging on part of the mural. Some of the buildings / premises presented poorly but they were not in any way littered.
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‘Greenway’: Grade B. (from Upper Rock Street to Highfield Grove) There was a definite litter presence along this ‘off road’ pathway. The first 200m of the Greenway accessed off Upper Rock Road had some accumulations, with the recently cut back brambles despoiled by litter.
There is some nice evidence of residents planting to the rear of their houses, close to the greenway, Litter was most obvious close to various access points and much less so as one move further along from the access points.
The Mall: Grade A. Attractive paving, large planter boxes, street bins, bollards, street lamps etc. were all in excellent condition. The Mall presented very well, with an absence of litter throughout.
