Bray’s overall position remains stable in terms of cleanliness, but its previous top-of-table performance is now some distance away
Bray has maintained its "Clean to European Norms" status in the latest Irish Business Against Litter (IBAL) survey, despite slipping six places in the national rankings to 22nd position.
According to An Taisce several locations including Main Street, Sydenham Avenue and the exterior of Bray Daly Train Station were among the town's best-performing sites, with the station praised for its exceptionally high standards and attractive landscaping.
However, the report highlighted concerns at Lidl on the Dublin Road and the Mermaid Centre car park, warning that litter levels could worsen if not addressed.
The most significant problem identified was illegal dumping at the Bring Centre beside Tesco, which was described as Bray's most heavily littered location.
The findings come as IBAL says Ireland is experiencing its lowest number of littered areas in a quarter of a century, with 27 towns and cities now classified as clean.
While Bray remains comfortably within that category, the latest survey suggests maintaining standards at known problem spots will be key if the seaside town is to climb back up the national table.
Key Bray Facts Ranked 22nd out of 40 towns and cities (down from 16th).
Retained "Clean to European Norms" status. Main Street, Sydenham Avenue and Bray Daly Train Station received top marks. Dumping at the Tesco Bring Centre was identified as the town's worst litter issue.
Lidl Dublin Road and Mermaid Centre car park were flagged as areas needing attention.
Speaking about the findings, IBAL inspector Conor Horgan said Bray’s overall position remains stable in terms of cleanliness, but warned that its previous top-of-table performance is now some distance away.
He told East Coast FM:
“Bray is again clean, that’s the main thing. It’s in 22nd position in the ranking of 40 cities and towns,” he said.
He noted that half of the sites surveyed in the town were top-ranking, with strong performances recorded in several key areas.
“Main Street, the residential area of Sydenham Avenue, [and] Bray Daly railway station were all praised. The latter was exceptionally freshly presented and maintained with planted areas to the front,” he said.
However, the report also highlighted clear pressure points where litter levels could quickly worsen if not addressed.
Conor Horgan pointed to concerns at retail and public amenity sites, saying conditions at the Lidl on Dublin Road and the car park at the Mermaid Centre were approaching a tipping point.
He said the most significant issue identified was at the Tesco bring centre, where dumping was recorded.
“By far the most heavily littered site surveyed in Bray was the bring centre at Tesco, where dumping had occurred,” he said.
He added that targeted action at problem locations could have a noticeable impact on Bray’s national ranking.
“If there’s any heavily littered site in the town, it has to be addressed. In this case, there is that one at Tesco. Just by addressing that one site, you would see Bray improve its ranking quite significantly,” he said.
IBAL said the expectation is that focused attention from local authorities and stakeholders on the identified problem areas could help the town climb the league table in future surveys.
Wicklow Power Past Tipperary To Reach Third Straight Tailteann Cup Quarter-Final
Man Withdraws Appeal Against Severity Of Sentence After Threatening To Kill Simon Harris And Family
Taylor Made For Ultimate Farewell - Katie Takes In Croker Before Big Announcement
Wicklow TD Stands Down From AI Chair Amid Drink-driving Investigation
Nature Minister Condemns ‘illegal’ Fire within Wicklow Mountains
