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A NEW CYCLE BRIDGE at North Strand in Dublin has been destroyed by graffiti and locals are angry that anti-graffiti paint was not used.
One local told this website, “We should be ashamed, it’s not okay to vandalise public amenities that are costing taxpayers a fortune. It makes me feel sick.
It was a huge job that involved a lot of coordination, it’s such a shame to see it in its present condition.
It’s understood that anti-graffiti paint was considered as an option at one point but was deemed too expensive.
When asked about the paint, Tony McGee from the Environment and Transportation Department at Dublin City Council said, “Provision of anti-graffiti paint onto a bridge structure would depend on a number of factors as it is not a standard item.
Application was considered during the construction phase but it would have delayed the delivery of the bridge structure to the site which was scheduled with a temporary road closure of North Strand Road.
When asked if the cost of the paint was the reason it wasn’t used, McGee said:
Cost was a consideration at approximately €20,000 to apply the product to the entire structure.
However, a spokesperson for Dublin City Council told this website that anti-graffiti paint was successful when it was used by the council on a number of gable walls on Stoney Road beside the Dart line in East Wall. She said:
This was a regular tagging site and the application of the anti graffiti paint has deterred this activity.
The graffiti at the North Strand cycle bridge has still not been cleaned or repainted. TheJournal.ie asked when this would be done and how much it would cost, but did not receive a response.
Tony McGee said that while anti graffiti paint was not applied to the new pedestrian bridge at Newcomen, “we will consider using this product on our proposed viaduct construction for Royal Canal premium cycle route phase 2, due for construction later this year”.
He added, “We will also discuss using it on the new Newcomen Bridge with DCC Road Maintenance.”
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Locals not angry at the locals who did this, but blame the government instead for using the wrong sort of paint.
Classic.
@alphanautica: how are they supposed to do that? Guard the bridge?? There are already laws against this but no Gardai to patrol and look out for this. Using anti-graffiti paint even on the interior of the bridge should have been considered it looks awful.
@Deborah Behan: weird concept I know, in this day and age, but some of the artists involved would have parents living in the local community who might exercise some influence over their charges.
@alphanautica: I thought that too. However, the only quote in the article from a local is one condemning the others for the graffiti.
@alphanautica: yeah, those FG swines keeping all that anti graffiti paint for their rich pals on the south side of dublin. Only the cheap B&Q stuff for us northsiders!
@alphanautica: good point, except that the graffiti writers are not local
@Rip Van Winkle: and how do you know that ?
@Rip Van Winkle: you cannot say that for a fact that it wasn’t local ..
@alphanautica: Graffiti is not restricted to “bad” parenting , these so called artist do this for attention , if there efforts are painted over immediately and this can be done by volunteers , these kids will stop using this bridge for their vandalism
So the community is angray that the taxpayer didnt pay extra fo prevent the community from destroying it’s stuff.
@Neal Ireland Hello.: How do you know it wasn’t vandals from other part of town / country ?
@Neal Ireland Hello.: the kind of tags there aren’t locals. Spray paint isn’t cheap. Ussually kids from nicer areas you roll in. Put a few crap tags down and skate or cycle off.
I’am sure most cyclists would be relieved to cross the bridge without being beaten, stabbed, and mugged by the natives rather then complaining about the paintwork.
@Dave Hogan: Cyclists don’t use it….. While it’s a great idea it’s an inconvenience to the “morning commute” cyclist.
@Ian Breathnach: where’s your evidence that cyclists don’t use it?
@Dermot Lane: they’re too busy clogging up roads the length and breadth of the country and not pulling the f@ck over!!!! Look at them in their skin tight leotards with the crack of their fat arses shown to the world!!! Get out of my way fatty!
@David: Ranty McRant head… here’s a chill pill, go take it!
@Dub_Right: found a cyclist
@Dave Hogan: That is a disgraceful comment
@David: Main reason no body uses it is there is no way to get on to it. They haven’t connected it to a cycle lane. To use it you need to take a left and then a right off the main road. It then leads to another road that you take a right to take back on to the main road you came off.
It is decidedly inconvenient
What’s the story with the littering there too!!!!!
Visited Japan last year. would never see vandalism or littering there. too much pride in their country. pity it’s lost here
@James O Donoghue: Japan is very nice country indeed but people there are simple nutters and I would never swap life here and there to be honest.
@James O Donoghue: wait till Luas is joined every gemhead and scanger invading the rest of Dublin sterilisation for the lot of them I say !!!!
The standard of graffiti in this area is shockingly poor. If anything this highlights the need for a larger spend on Art in our school system
@Zx5vZulB: they’d have to go to school to get any use from it..
Surely they should be angry at the people who have so little regard for new things that they ruin them for everyone by vandalising them…
@Jennie Conneely: father no good mother no good how could you expect the child to be any good!!!
I worked with a roads authority and anti-graffiti paint is not worth a ball of blue.. Useless.. when graffiti is painted on it a special chemical has to be used to get the graffiti off.. its as much hassle and as expensive as if anti-graffiti paint hadn’t be used..
That yoke needs a bit of colour. Pity the vandals weren’t a bit more arty.
@Missyb211: or, commission an up and coming artist
It’s their own Gurriors , oops – sweet children who are doing this – bless them , because they know not what they do !
If you brought up your children correctly with respect for others property and a civic spirit this would not be happening !
@Mike Howard: Hey would you like a bigger brush to tar everyone in that area with?
@Mike Howard: you haven’t got a clue what you’re talking about. I lived in the area for 7 years I assure you the local heads aren’t into the graffiti scene. It’s predominantly kids from middle class backgrounds who go out and tag/bomb all along the rail lines. The locals suffer the graffiti and your ignorance
Catch them doing it, make them repaint the bridge and bill them the cost of materials.
I was scrolling down, just awaiting to see a pic of an evoke tag and look! what a surprise.
The city centre is ruined with that word everywhere.
Serious fines and possible judicial sentences need to start being given out to discourage kids from doing this, it’s rampant at this stage.
Excuse me for not being surprised? And when McDonald’s in Rathmines decided to redecorate several years ago, what wallpaper did they choose? Something that looks like the graffitied buildings in Chicago!
They should also ask questions about which of their neighbors are throwing bags of rubbish on the bridge.
Should just pay the cost of anti graffiti paint to street artist to paint the bridge. Some idiot was bound to doggie they might be less likely if it was already painted with street art representing the area.
You can be guaranteed that if this was in Malahide, Howth, Foxrock, Mount Merrion that this bridge would be free of these paint scrawls(hardly graffiti) and no rubbish would be left there just like that…
The Bridge is horrible looking anyways and won’t be used!
@Dub_Right: ha I’ve live in Howth. Everything gets graffitied at some point here. EVERYTHING!.
The only difference here is that the council clean it off pretty fast compared to “other” areas(Read: less well off areas)
Dosco scrubbing brush and bottles of Cif handed out to the locals ?
Not only bad graffiti but dumping rubbish bags as well Sh!€hole
The bridge does still work.
Surprisingly I don’t see any used syringes lying around in the photo
have your say