What is wrong in Navan?

CHRONICLE COMMENT: Why is anti-social behaviour in the town not addressed?

Last week, the Meath Chronicle reported on a meeting of the Trimgate Street businesses and retailers, which had been held to discuss the county council's proposed pedestrianisation of Navan's main thoroughfare.

One of the main issues that came out of the meeting and a reason that the business people were opposed to the removal of cars from the street was that there would be an increase in anti-social behaviour. The alleyways off the main street had a lot of people hanging around them, and there had been many unsavoury incidents, it was claimed.

Traders said there was a big problem with anti-social behaviour, and that it was on the rise in the county town.

This week, Navan residents are opposed to a pedestrianisation and cycleway plan that the council is proposing, at Convent Road. Again, drug dealing, anti-social behaviour and littering are making it unsafe for people to walk into town, especially as there are no passing cars, according to residents.

The road was closed off to traffic a year ago on a trial basis and the council is expected to make the closure permanent in the coming weeks.

Residents say they have seen people taking drugs there in broad daylight, and that since the trial began 12 months ago, the problem with anti-social behaviour has escalated. (This has been contradicted by others working at a nearby medical centre).

Last year, when the town's bus stops were relocated to Abbey Road, residents there claimed life had become a "nightmare". Anti-social behaviour soared in the area with people loitering in the car park, drinking, drug taking, fighting and littering, according to local residents.

"People who aren't using the buses at all are now starting to congregate here and you have some people waiting for others to come in on the buses. They are drinking and taking drugs, our gardens are being used as bins and people are using the area to go to the toilet," said one local resident.

"People sit on steps and walls and leave drink cans and broken bottles behind. Many of them are not even getting buses but have begun hanging around there, sometimes waiting for others to arrive on a bus.”

The Navan Express – NX – service from Dublin to Navan had become known as the 'narcotics express' according to the bus drivers' union.

Earlier this year, public representatives and members of the local Garda force were falling over themselves to welcome the allocation of 58 new closed circuit television (CCTV) in various locations around the town in a supposed crackdown on this anti-social behaviour. It is a sad reflection on the town that these cameras are even needed.

The bigger picture needs to be looked at here, and the question asked: Why is there so much anti-social behaviour in Navan, and what is being done to resolve the issue? It seems that nobody is prepared to take action to call out and tackle this behaviour until it is seen as an excuse to prevent other initiatives moving forward. And whether one is in favour of or opposed to these planned pedestrianisations, surely it is not doing the town any good to be declaring it a no-go area every other week?

(From Meath Chronicle print edition, Saturday 29th October)