The unexpectedly high number of visitors to Cuilcagh Mountain Boardwalk is expected to cost Fermanagh and Omagh District Council over £26,000 by the end of this tourism season.

If staff costs continue to accumulate at the current rate, the total cost could rise to £39,000 by September 2017.

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Council minutes reveal that these costs are “beyond the budget provision made for the Marble Arch Caves Global Geopark in the year 2017/18.”

Over the Easter weekend, 3,250 walkers set out on the Cuilcagh Legnabrocky trail – 800 vehicles parked at the site on Easter Monday, causing traffic congestion.

Since the installation of a wooden boardwalk in 2015, which has been dubbed ‘Fermanagh’s stairway to heaven’ on social media sites, visitor numbers have surged by 700 per cent at Cuilcagh.

Such is the level of traffic on weekends and bank holidays, traffic disruption is causing problems along the Marlbrouogh Loop Road, which also leads thousands of tourists to the Marble Arch Caves each year.
The entire Geopark is an Area of Special Scientific Interest (ASSI).

A report by Robert Gibson, the Director of Community, Health and Leisure, to Tuesday night’s Regeneration and Community Committee meeting stated: “It is likely that a level of demand that exceeds the current infrastructure will continue.”

The report outlined that the costs to the Council in April 2017 included: contracted security staff for traffic management (£3,000); cleaning and emptying toilet facilities (£700); signage (£200) and leaflets (£1000).
Mr. Gibson revealed that, from May to September, there will be an ongoing cost of £3,700 per month.

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In addition, staff have had to be deployed to Cuilcagh rather than other duties at the Marble Arch Caves or at other Geopark sites, at a cost of £2,700 in April. “There will be an ongoing staff cost from May to September,” the report added.

The Council has met with Transport NI, the Police Service of Northern Ireland, the Department for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs and land owners “in order to bring forward short term mitigating measures and to explore longer term traffic management solutions.”

The report continued: “Efforts to continue to manage traffic in the short term will continue; Fermanagh and Omagh District Council will deploy additional staff and contract workers at anticipated high use times (weekends and Bank Holidays). Transport NI have carried out some remedial works to the verges of the road. The Council has brokered the opening of the facilities and (limited) car parking at the DAERA owned Killykeegan Nature Reserve, located approximately one mile from the beginning of the Cuilcagh Legnabocky Trail.

WATCH: Easter Monday Cuilcagh traffic chaos

“The Council has also provided extra temporary toilets and bins at the car park nearest to the Cuilcagh Legnabrocky Trail.”

A long term solution to traffic management “is only possible” through additional off road parking being made available in the area of the start of the Legnabrocky Trail/Marble Arch Caves Visitors Centre.

Mr. Gibson’s report stated: “The Council does not own land in this area. Further parking can only therefore be developed by a landowner or following the acquisition of land by the Council. Most of the area is designated within an ASSI which may well limit the scope for further development.”

The report noted that “evidence from social media suggests that there is a very real economic benefit accruing from the use of the Cuilcagh Legnabrocky Trail to hospitality and catering business in the environs.”
Fermanagh and Omagh District Council intends to apply for Preparatory Technical Support under the Rural Development Programme 2014-2020 to scope, plan and develop long-term infrastructure solutions for Cuilcagh.

The report was compiled before this weekend’s heather fires at Cuilcagh.