Trees

Most trees alongside the highway are private and the responsibility of the landowner to maintain. We would only request for tree growth to be cut back if it was causing a road safety concern. This would usually be defined as pedestrians needing to walk in the road to pass the tree.

You need to look after your hedges and trees, inspecting them on a regular basis. During the warm, wet summer months when they can grow very quickly, they may need to be inspected more frequently. This is the same case after period of strong winds.

It is advised that any tree work you arrange must be undertaken by professional Tree Contractors in accordance with the British Standard for Tree Work 'BS 3998:2010 Tree Work – Recommendations' to ensure that the works are carried out safely. The BS isn’t a publicly available document, but any professional contractor should have been trained to work to the standard and should be able to explain what it is.

Your responsibilities

If your tree is next to a road or pavement, the law says you must cut it back if:

• drivers or pedestrians can’t see ahead or can’t get past
• it covers signs or streetlights
• height clearance should be greater than 5.2 metres over a road and 2.5 metres over the footway

Overgrown trees can cause big safety problems for people using the pavement, especially for people who are blind, who use a wheelchair/mobility scooter or are pushing a pram. They may have to use the road, not the pavement to get past which is dangerous for both pedestrians and vehicles.

We would support or encourage residents or local Parish Councils if they would be willing to do so, to try to have discussions with the landowner to see if their concerns can be addressed and arrangements made to cut their tree(s).

Disturbing wildlife or nesting birds and the law

The RSPB provides advice on the best time of year to carry out any trimming to avoid the nesting season. The Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 prohibits damaging the nests of wild birds in use (or under construction) and their eggs. However, there are notable exceptions to this. We only request that landowners work on hedgerows during nesting season when works are necessary to ensure public health and safety.

Further advice can be found on the RSPB website.