Residents urged to trim overgrown hedges and trees

by Lisa Reeves

Friday 26^th July 2024

Fri 26^th Jul 2024

Alderley Edge Parish Council has asked local residents to trim back any overgrown hedges and trees.

Letters have been sent to individual householders reminding them about hedge trimming as many are now overhanging public walkways particularly around narrow paths and road junctions resulting in pedestrians being forced to step into the road and blocking drivers from navigating with clear vision around road junctions.

A Parish Council spokesperson said "Now is the best time of year cut then back to help the community, in particular our postmen and less mobile residents.

"So in the interests of safety, would you please look at your own hedges and trees to ensure they do not dangerously encroach or overhang a pavement or walkway outside your house or premises.

"Please pay your part in helping everyone to keep safe. If you need help or advice, please contact the Parish Clerk who will contact our ranger Paul."

Comments

Here's what readers have had to say so far. Why not add your thoughts below.

David Smith

Sunday 28^th July 2024 at 7:12 pm

For YEARS vegetation has been overhanging pavements and inconveniencing pedestrians. They don't suddenly overhang and be a nuisance but gradually reach that state after a lack of maintaining the boundary line over a long time.
So, why the polite letter asking if residents would 'please' do something?
A more appropriate response would be to inform residents that if they do not cut back their greenery by a certain date the council will arrange for the work to be done and then invoice the resident directly.
Many hedges have been left for so long that when cut back to the boundary line there will hardly be any greenery on the pavement side, which could mean the end of the hedge in question.
A reason for all of us to maintain a hedge otherwise it might not recover from the appropriate ‘trim’.

Mike O'Rourke

Tuesday 30^th July 2024 at 1:37 pm

I agree David. I also thought that as neighbours, we could download and print and post by hand where we found an overgrown hedge, and notify the council online at the same time with a photo to support the action. I feel sorry for people in wheelchairs and those with you prams.

David Woods

Wednesday 31^st July 2024 at 7:25 am

Out of interest - who is responsible for the worst example of hedge overhang, the stretch in Heyes Lane running along the allotments boundary?

Diana Bullock

Sunday 4^th August 2024 at 10:21 am

Spot on Mr. Smith, especially your first two paragraphs. Many years ago, we could walk two abreast on the pavement and make conversation but now, in many places, we have to walk one behind the other, making conversation very difficult, or else one of us has to walk in the gutter. Also, with some of the pavements being very rough and uneven, and hedges overgrown, it does make it difficult for wheelchairs and prams, etc. I mentioned to a lady on Moss Lane, last year, that her hedge needed cutting back, but she said that her gardener had died, and looking again this year, I wonder whether the next gardener has died!!

Neil Carr

Monday 5^th August 2024 at 1:26 pm

I agree with the comments above.

I have been complaining about this in private for a few years now.

Most of the hedges on properties in and around the village force us to walk in a single file when, if the hedges were cut back to the garden boundary, two abreast would be normal.

Moss Lane is particularly bad.

The Council should take stronger action and enforce the cutting back of hedges that encroach onto pavements. Requesting owners will not be sufficient and I guess 90% will just ignore the requests.

If nothing is done we will soon be forced to walk on the road in places.