A car that has been lying in the River Lagan near Lisburn for decades is the focus of renewed efforts by local councillors to have it removed. The Department for Infrastructure, which manages flood risk, said the vehicle has been present for decades but is not currently affecting drainage or flood levels, and it has no plans to remove it.

Robbie Butler, an Ulster Unionist MLA for Lagan Valley, said the car is a matter that should be addressed once and for all. He cautioned that removal could be counterproductive and should be guided by conservation experts. Mr Butler said the wider neglect of the river, including a decline in native fish stocks and a lack of leisure opportunities, was of greater concern.

Green Party councillor Anthony Flynn said different authorities were avoiding responsibility for the car and that leaving it in the river sent a poor signal about other fly-tipping. Alliance councillor Nicola Parker, vice-chair of Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council’s environment committee, said the failure to remove it was unacceptable and presented an environmental risk. She noted that locals raise concerns every year, especially from May to September when lower water levels expose the car along with trolleys and tyres. Some councillors have been pressing for action for a decade.

The Northern Ireland Environment Agency stated it had not previously received direct reports about the car. It said responsibility for any remedial action would depend on land ownership and the vehicle’s size, resting with either the landowner or the relevant council. Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council said it had met with the Rivers Agency, part of the Department for Infrastructure, and would continue engagement to seek a solution.