by Adrian Mullan

A SEVEN months pregnant Omagh woman has to drag a heavily laden wheelie bin close to one mile because Omagh Council won't allow it's bin lorries to enter Mullaghmena Meadows (close to Omagh Cinema) because roads in the estate have not yet been adopted by Roads Service.

The distraught partner of the young woman claimed that the Council is putting care for its lorries ahead of the health and safety of his partner and their unborn child. He contacted Technical Services at Omagh District Council on Tuesday but was told that there was 'no chance' of a bin lorry entering the development nor was their any chance of a council van being sent out to take the pressure off the young lady in question. Her partner, a long distance lorry driver, said he's often not there to be able to assist and expressed incredulity at the fact that the council would place a heavily pregnant woman in a position where she had to drag the bin to the end of the estate for it to be emptied.

A spokesperson for Omagh District Council said, "Throughout all 26 Councils in Northern Ireland bin lorries are not insured to travel and collect refuse on roads which have not been adopted by Roads Service and bin emptying takes place at the entrance to housing developments. Once the Council receives notification from DoE Roads Service that roads have been adopted, refuse collection will commence at household addresses within the development.

"Residents of new developments are advised to contact DoE Roads Service and ask to have the roads in the development adopted, and to maintain contact with the contractor to progress the preparation of these roads for adoption."

DRD Roads Service commented, "[We] have been in constant contact with the developer (Suburban Builders) as recently as October 1. The developer needs to fulfil his responsibility under the auspices of the planning permission and the Private Streets Order (1980)."

The spokesperson for the department added, "In the event of the developer not taking responsibility for the provision of the site to an adoptable standard, the department may consider enforcement. The responsibility lies with the developer not the department."

Suburban Builders Ltd, the developer in question was contacted, however no one was available for comment.