Council boss appeals to land owners to cut their hedges

Council boss appeals to land owners to cut their hedges

With just a week to go before hedge cutting is prohibited, the Road Safety Authority (RSA), the County and City Management Association (CCMA) and the Irish Road Haulage Association (IRHA) have come together to call on landowners to cut their hedgerows to ensure they are not causing a road safety hazard.

Under the Wildlife Act 1976, hedge-cutting is prohibited from 1 March to 31 August, except in cases where overgrowth poses a road safety hazard. The law allows cutting to resume on September 1 and it runs until the end of February.

“Properly maintained hedges ensure vulnerable road users are not forced on to the road by overgrown hedges. It additionally affords motorists a clear view of what is in front of them or around a bend, especially on rural roads in the case of sightlines at junctions or obstructions to road signs,” Sarah O’Connor, director of Partnerships and External Affairs with the RSA said.

Warning that in action could endanger lives, Ms O’Connor said landowners must take responsibility.

The chief executive of Westmeath County Council, Barry Kehoe, who is also chair of the County and City Management Association (CCMA) Transport, Infrastructure and Networks Committee, said local authorities have an important role to ensure that roadside verges are maintained and that local road safety issues are dealt with, while also recognising the importance of hedgerows and biodiversity.

However, he continued, landowners and anyone living along the roadside has a responsibility to check that hedges and trees on their property are not causing a road safety hazard.

“If they are, the landowners should take the necessary steps needed to ensure road safety,” Mr Kehoe said, adding that he was also calling on the public to report road safety issues caused by overgrowth to their local authority, which can then contact the landowner.

The IRHA also urged landowners to consider truck and trailer height when cutting back hedgerows.

“Overgrown hedgerows pose a serious hazard to all road users, particularly for high-sided vehicles,” said Ger Hyland, IRHA president. “When hedges encroach on the road, truck drivers are often forced to veer across the white line, creating a dangerous situation for all road users. We urge landowners to take action and ensure hedgerows are trimmed back, not just at the roadside, but also at the necessary height – over 4 metres to accommodate our larger vehicles.”