Vexatious Vegetation
ROD WEBB
East Sussex County Council (ESCC) is reminding people that “most roadside hedges are the responsibility of the landowner and need regular trimming to keep them within property boundaries”.
Having recently been almost run off the road by a car avoiding a bush that was growing into the road, I’m very aware of how important this is. So when Cllr Claire Dowling, lead member for transport and environment at East Sussex County Council, says: “Overgrown trees and hedges can be dangerous for both road users and pedestrians,” I can wholeheartedly agree. As she goes on:“Motorists and cyclists can be forced into the centre of the road to avoid an obstruction,” and she adds that “pedestrians may have to step off the pavement in order to pass overgrown vegetation.”
I’m also aware how we criticise others while not dealing with things ourselves, and that we all need reminding. I regularly prune overhanging brambles from the gardens of others on the way to my allotment, while neglecting those from my own garden. Having said that, I have now dealt with my hedges by cutting everything right back rather than just trimming the brambles, as they seem to grow several metres per day.
The obstruction that nearly led to my accident was the responsibility of a local housing development. Feeling that alerting them would lead nowhere and disinclined to alert the council, I eventually tackled the growth myself, risking ‘life and limb’.
It’s not easy these days: organisations who are responsible for tackling the hedges are often unreachable. Overstretched councils are overwhelmed and individual homeowners may be confused by regulations – like those which prohibit disturbing birds’ habitats during the nesting season. But it’s worth thinking about.
According to ESCC, “September to February is the best time to prune hedges and tree branches, to avoid disturbing nesting birds. Vegetation should be a minimum of 50 cm from the edge of the road, and pavements should be kept completely clear.”
If a hedge is putting people at risk, you can report it to the council. They may request that it is cut back, even during the bird nesting season, as long as care is taken not to disturb any nests.
For all concerns about trees and vegetation (including reporting problems) visit:
live.eastsussexhighways.com/services/services-vegetation
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