Bray Harbour Action Group Welcome Establishment of Joint Working Group

5th April 2017

Thomas Hall

A model of an improved Bray harbour in County Wicklow put forward by Bray Harbour Action Group. The model illustrates some of the possible enhancements that BHAG say could 'reinvigorate and transform' Bray Harbour – including increased protection from easterly and north easterly winds; improved access to the water for small ferry/day trip boats; improved parking and traffic management; the addition of storage and changing facilities; improved landscaping; and the removal of sand and silt to extend usable time and make moorings safer

Following a campaign by Bray Harbour Action Group (BHAG) to deal with a silt–up of the county Wicklow Harbour, BHAG met with Bray Municipal District Councillors yesterday.

Speaking after the meeting BHAG chairman Ger Crowley said” We have a duty of care to maintain and enhance Bray Harbour for our youth and future generations as a vibrant active leisure, sports and commercial area.

BHAG are very pleased, he continued, with the opportunity to share our vision for Bray Harbour with key decision makers of Bray.

The harbour is a great asset that can be put to use to benefit all the people of Bray. Many seaside towns would envy the infrastructure that we already have already in place by way of harbour walls within which to develop, easy access to the promenade and the town and we are readily accessible to visitors by road and rail.

Bray harbour silt up Stakeholders - (from left) John McNulty, Bray Adventures Ronan Laffan, Bray Sailing Club, Tony Foran, Bray Harbour Mooring Holders' Association, Greg Mulvaney, Bray Head Fishing and Social Club, Ger Crowley, Chairman BHAG with a model to show how Bray harbour could be improved

We believe, he continued, that for a relatively modest investment the harbour can again become a safe docking and berthing facility for coastal cruises and visiting boats bringing many visitors to the town. It can also become a centre for water sports and commercial water based activities.

Bray harbour silt up An aerial view of Bray harbour showing the current silt–up of sand in the Wicklow leisure port

Speaking after the meeting, Ger said, BHAG welcomes the invitation from Bray Municipal District Councillors to form a Joint Working Group to explore how to maximise the potential of Bray Harbour and looks forward to working in close cooperation with Councillors and Officials to achieve positive outcomes.

He cautioned, however, that failure to deal with the build-up of sand in the harbour quickly and efficiently would not only put plans for the future in jeopardy but could lead to the early demise of the harbour as a valuable recreational amenity

Published in Coastal Notes

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