Council requests dlr householders to cut back hedges to ensure road and footpath safety

Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council is calling on householders and landowners/occupiers to please ensure that footpath and roadside hedges, overhanging trees, and bushes are cut and maintained so that all pedestrians can travel safely along footpaths and at junctions. This can also be an issue for cyclists along some routes where branches from trees overhang a cycle track.

Section 70 of the Roads Act 1993 places responsibility for the maintenance of roadside hedges on the owners/occupiers of the adjoining lands. Failure to comply with their obligations could result in Landowners/Occupiers of Land along a public road, facing fines of up to €5,000 and or imprisonment of up to 6 months or both.

Aidan Blighe, Director of Municipal Services with Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council said:

Complaints are often received from road and footpath users concerning the overgrown state of hedgerows and overhanging trees along some footpaths, cycle tracks, and roads, and the road safety issues that can result, especially at night-time. This can particularly be a problem on some routes for visually impaired persons as they are not expecting an overhead obstruction. While we would like to compliment the many householders and landowners who maintain their roadside trees hedges, there are some who fail to cut and maintain their footpath and roadside hedges and branches resulting in road safety issues.

Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council carries out a verge and tree cutting program on its road network within the appropriate seasons and in line with our policies and plans, where relevant. Some verges may be part of the dlr pollinator sites and require a separate management regime. If you have any queries in relation to verge cutting in your area, you are advised to contact the Council by emailing info@dlrcoco.ie or calling 01 205 4700.

The season when hedge cutting is permitted under the Wildlife Act is between the start of September and the end of February the following year.

We recommend avoiding hedge cutting during the main breeding season for nesting birds, which usually runs throughout March to August each year. This can be weather dependent, and some birds may nest outside this period, so it is important to always check carefully for active nests prior to cutting.

Road safety is a shared responsibility; it’s about us all doing our share to make our footpaths and roads safer and ensure the success of our Road Safety Strategy.

Supported by Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown Disability and Consultation Group.