Boats are regularly stuck in Carmarthenshire's only harbour because it is so poorly maintained by a private company, the chairman of a campaign group has claimed. David Williams presented a petition to councillors and urged the authority to enforce the long-term lease for Burry Port harbour it granted to The Marine and Property Group Ltd five years ago.
The petition by Friends of Burry Port Harbour said the facility had deteriorated to an essentially unworkable state and that boat users had no faith in the preferred method of dredging – known as water injection – to remove large amounts of sand and sediment. Speaking at a meeting of full council Mr Williams said the harbour was "an embarrassing eyesore" and that around 370 of its 420 berths were empty. He said the friends of group had met boat owners who all felt the pontoons were dangerous and urgently needed attention.
"The boats should be floating but they're all aground on the sand most of the time," he said. "Most of them can hardly get in and out of the harbour at all."
