Householders are responsible for cutting back hedges outside their boundaries

Overgrown hedges and other vegetation that overhang a public footway from private dwellings can cause problems for visually impaired persons, wheelchair users, and all walkers. Large branches overhanging roads can cause a danger to motorists, especially to drivers of high-sided vehicles such as lorries or buses.  Landowners and occupiers are required to fell, cut, trim back, or remove such hedges and trees to prevent them from becoming a hazard to persons or property on the road.

Cllr Jim Gildea, Cathaoirleach, Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council said:

‘The Council receives many complaints from road and footpath users concerning overgrown 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 and hedges, there are some who fail to cut and maintain their footpath and roadside hedges and branches resulting in road safety issues’.

Section 70(2) (a) of the Roads Act 1993 provides that, “the owner or occupier of land shall take all reasonable steps to ensure that a tree, shrub, hedge or other vegetation on the land is not a hazard or potential hazard to persons using a public road and that it does not obstruct or interfere with the safe use of a public road or the maintenance of a public road”. Thus, there is legal duty on landowners or occupiers of land to ensure hedges and trees on their property are well maintained such that they are not encroaching beyond their boundary line.  

Hedge cutting should only take place outside the critical nesting period of 1 March to 31 August. The only exception is if there are road safety implications. The Roads Act states that liability for damage or injury resulting from such hazards will rest with the landowner/occupier, and Notices may be served on those who do not comply with their statutory obligations. 

Road safety is a shared responsibility; it’s about us all doing our share to make our footpaths safer and ensure the success of the Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council Road Safety Plan.