Ministry: Trimming Overhanging Trees & Hedges
The Ministry of Public Works is reminding the public that owners of property adjacent to a road are responsible for trimming back overhanging trees and hedges on their properties to stop vegetation from projecting into the road or sidewalk.
“Overhanging trees and hedges can cause safety hazards to road users including obstructed visibility, injury to pedestrians, pedal-cyclists and bike riders and damage to bus and truck windscreens and injury to waste collection personnel,” a spokesperson said.
“The Highways Section’s road sweeping teams make every effort to clear vegetation on roads and overhanging foliage around the Island, particularly after storms and heavy rain, and try to be responsive to any problems that are reported, however overhanging vegetation is normally the responsibility of the adjoining landowner.
“Vegetation needs to be kept clear of a public road for a height not less than 4.9 metres [16 feet and 1 inch] above the surface of the carriageway or 3 metres [9 feet 10 inches] above the surface of a pedestrian walkway or verge.
“Where the problems are reported, property owners will be asked to trim back their vegetation. The public should be aware that if such informal requests are not actioned, the Ministry has the power to serve a statutory nuisance abatement notice.
“The Ministry of Public Works is requesting public full cooperation in promoting safer roads and a better environment, allowing our own teams to focus on our road cleaning and maintenance responsibilities.”
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Category: All, Environment
And if you don’t cut your trees/hedges what happens? You get served a notice and then gov cuts them for free? Maybe roadside property owners should be made to pay for the cost or fined when gov workers are called out to trim their overhanging vegetation. Another great way to generate money for the gov.
They did this on our road as out neighbor had overhanging trees. They then let all the cuttings in the street, and I ended up having to clear them up as the neighbors and/or their landlord didn’t have to drive that far along the street to access their property so had zero incentive to do anything.
Well, it’s about time. Let’s start on Ord Road before someone gets serious injured or worse.
when leaving industrial park road in SOUTHAMPTON and trying to head east, you literally have to inch out to the yellow line to see oncoming traffic from hamilton. Trees from the garden on the westbound lane are such a hazard
Start at St Johns church and proceed west towards Gorhams. Bring a big truck.
There are too many areas around the island where trees are left hanging over our roadways and people expect gov’t to cut back, and at the same time crying foul about the same conditions. If Gov’t has to cut any trees back on any private property the owner should have to pay at the going rate and not for free.
Trinity Church Rd. is another area. I agree with sending the bill to the landowners of the offensive property. Especially now that we are in hurricane season.
Well it takes 5 guys and a truck driver 3 days to clean 20 feet of roadside, So I really doubt this effort will go far. Ever watched W and E guys work. I want their job Our roadsides are disgusting without tree over growth .