Parish councillors are unhappy about the removal of trees from alongside the railway line, which has left a damaged fence exposed.
Contractors, working on behalf of Network Rail, cut down a beech tree and a lime tree from the park side of the railway line this morning, Friday 1st March.
A man working at the site said "They were unhealthy trees and causing a risk to the overhead cables. Once trees have got a disease it doesn't mean they are going to come down in the next week or month but branches do start breaking off so they were dangerous."
In addition to removing two trees, branches have been cut off several other trees on both sides of the railway line, which were growing close to the cables, along with the removal of some bushes.
Cllr Melanie Connor described the work as "an absolute mess".
She said "They have decimated the whole of the boundary, taken away very fine trees which is a disgrace, and will take over 100 years to grow again.
"This has opened up a very poor conditioned fence that has clear health and safety issues that would worry Cheshire East Council (CEC), ruined the view from houses on Redesmere and from the village into the park.
"A job terribly done with no consultation with the Parish Council by Network Rail or CEC.
"Further, the sound barrier has been removed and so I personally can hear every train and other noise.
"I would not let little children play anywhere near there until Healthy & Safety have deemed it safe. An absolute mess by one and all!"
Cllr Duncan Herald added "In places the wire-mesh fence, which is mostly approximately 6 feet high, is reduced to approximately 4 feet high, children could get over that and, if you look closely, some of the wire-mesh fencing is only held upright by a single strand of wire.
Cllr Herald added "The removal of the trees, bushes and some saplings on the park side of the fence, next to the football area, makes it likely that footballs could be kicked onto the railway.
"I've asked the Parks Department to look at the fence and then take it up with Network Rail, in an ideal world the rickety fence we have now would be replaced by a higher and more robust model."
Comments
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In the autumn, the leaves come off the trees, get mulshed into a slippery paste unter the wheels of trains, causing delays to services as the wheels slip, and increasing danger (one train in the south of England a few years ago slid for several miles in the leaf fall season before it could be brought to a stop). That never used to happen! Also, one used to be able to enjoy the view when travelling by train. These days all one can see is the blur of passing shruberry!
Network Rail need to put right this lineside overgrowth. And if that exposes damaged fences, those should be repaired. Or did they get damaged because it was easy for the damage to be carried out while hidden from sight by the vast wall of trees that has been allowed to grow by the lineside? Trees don't provide a child-proof barrier; only an effective fence in full view will do that.
I will presume the dodgy fence will be sorted very soon.
The trees that were removed were growing on the railway side of the fence between park and railway; but the work was carried out from the Park side of the fence.
I believe that the contractors have also cut back the underbrush and saplings on the Park side of the fence.
The fence thus revealed is (imho) unsatisfactory; I have asked the C.E. Parks Dept. to come and inspect the fence and if they agree, to take the matter up with 'Network Rail'.
Who owns the fence and thus is responsible for its upkeep?
If any park of the fence is mended/improved, will it be 'like for like' or according to the more demanding h & s demands of today?
If you feel strongly about this, pick up your pen and inform your M.P. of your discontent.
Write to 'Netwok Rail' and complain.
Write to C.E. and complain.
As I see it, the fence is now scalable by children; let's get it 'fixed' before some child climbs over it, onto the railway lines!
The Parish Council have made it clear that this a 'Health & Safety' matter and must be dealt with soonest.
There is also an offer from C.E. Parks to carry out some planting of shrubs etc. to try and re-landscape.
C.E. are to errect two mesh fence panels, to cover the damaged fence, pending the repairs by 'Network Rail'.