THE Social Democrats were the lone voice in Council chamber last week against a year-round hedge-cutting proposal, following a motion raised by Cllr Finbarr Harrington (Ind) who called on Cork County Council to remove the restricted period for verge cutting on all public roads to make roads safer.
Cllr Isobel Towse (SD) opposed his motion and said that hedge grows are vital habitats for the bird population, 635 of which are currently of serious conservations concern.
‘The support for rolling back protections for our native species when we are in the middle of a biodiversity crisis is a concerning indication that the Council is forcefully moving backwards on environmental issues,’ said Cllr Towse.
‘The concern behind the motion was in regards to road safety, but there are already exemptions to the hedge-cutting ban for road safety concerns. Beyond their value for biodiversity, hedgerows and grassy verges bring so much to our local area and connect us to nature.’
Her colleague, Cllr Liam Quaide said that widespread and indiscriminate hedge cutting was happening at this time of the year, which he said was happening with impunity.
However, Cllr Harrington said vegetation grows at an alarming rate this time of year and a road that was ok a month ago is now dangerous for road users. Under current legislation landowners are prohibited from hedge cutting between March 1st and August 31st.
‘Farmers are afraid of prosecution if they try to cut hedges on their lands. Road safety has to be a shared responsibility,’ said Cllr Harrington.
He highlighted a number of examples of road users whose vehicles have been damaged by overgrown hedges and verges.
Cllr Peter O’Donoghue (NP) said ‘common sense’ needs to prevail when it comes to road safety and pointed out he has never seen a bird nest in the verge of a road.
Cllr Noel O’Donovan (FG) said it’s a matter of road safety and there should be no ambiguity or confusion.
Cllr John Michael Foley (FG) said he has received several calls about high trees causing serious damage to buses and said birds do not nest on the verges but in ditches.
Cllr Danny Collins (Ind) said some tourists are damaging their cars and end up fined by the rental company when they return them. He said the hedge cutting should be allowed as early as August 1st.
Cllr Caroline Cronin (FG) said she’s had messages everyday this month from people complaining about overgrown hedges on roads. She is most concerned about mothers walking on roads to beaches with children and feeling unsafe due to overgrown verges.
Cllr Mary Linehan Foley (Ind) asked that the motion be amended to include footpaths with many overgrown, while Cllr Martin Coughlan (Ind) said some footpaths are overgrown in Macroom that women pushing buggies are being forced to step onto the road to avoid them, while Cllr Michael Looney (FF) said the idea of birds nesting on the verges is ‘nonsense.’
Cllr Patrick Gerard Murphy (FF) said some landowners are very responsible but there are others who don’t do anything and he said the Council need to get a lot more ‘proactive’ to make sure they are aware of their obligations.
The Association of Farm Contractors in Ireland , which represents agricultural and forestry workers, has called for clarity in the regulations of the Road Safety Act, because they believe the management of roadside verges is contributing to creating high risk to all road users.
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