Safety concerns over erosion of Wicklow cliff

Concern has been expressed for the safety of walkers using what has been described as one of Ireland's finest marine walks, the cliff walk between Bray and Greystones in Co Wicklow.

This follows rapid coastal erosion which has left the walk leading directly over the cliff at a number of points. Protective fencing at a number of places was yesterday dangling above a 100-metre precipice.

The five-mile coastal trek around Bray Head is popular with hill-walkers, families, tourists and bird-watchers.

The mayor of Greystones has expressed concern that visitors might easily follow the path over the cliff in the dim light conditions at this time of year. "There is nothing to stop you. If you follow the path between the fences you will go straight over the cliff, as the fence is hanging across the chasm at two locations," Cllr Derek Mitchell told The Irish Times.

The soft clay cliffs at Redford on the southern slopes of Bray Head have been losing ground to the sea for decades - estimated by a report in the early 1970s to be as much as one metre a year. Recently this has risen to about four metres a year, according to Mr Mitchell. "Wicklow County Council initiated a study of the erosion a few years ago," he said, "but this was never completed."

In the last two weeks 20 feet more of cliff has collapsed on to the beach, and concern is now being expressed for the integrity of the DART line, which at one point is just 80 metres from the mud cliff.

Iarnród Éireann said yesterday it was constantly monitoring the situation at Bray Head and that last year it carried out significant remedial works at 11 locations, costed at several million euro.

Mr Mitchell said plans for a new marina at Greystones include an element of coastal protection along the cliff walk valued at €3 million, but the additional cost to protect the walk where erosion was at its worst would cost up to €10 million.

"The problem is that the State policy is not to protect agricultural land. The Department of the Marine and Natural Resources has also had its budget for coastal protection works cut by 40 per cent for the coming year, and the total amount available now is only €3 million for the whole country," he said.

Wicklow County Council has set up a monitoring committee consisting of two councillors from each of Bray, Greystones and Wicklow councils. On a visit to the site yesterday, Mr Mitchell said he had asked for the path to be closed.

"We saw a number of French tourists here and they were clutching the fence as they walked. It is just too dangerous to remain open like this, the path needs to be moved again."

The only solution was for the State to carry out a major coastal protection scheme. "It will not cost any extra to protect it now as against waiting for it to reach the DART line" he said.