Council to tackle hazardous hedge growth to ensure road safety
Roscommon County Council has received a number of queries in relation to verge cutting and maintenance of public roads.
As a result of the recent strong growth of hedges and grass at road junctions and along public roads which may cause hazards for motorists, Roscommon County Council has stated it will continue to monitor conditions with a particular focus on maintaining safe visibility at key locations.
In recent weeks the local authority has received a number of queries in relation to verge cutting and maintenance of public roads.
A spokesperson for the council stated, “Roscommon County Council recognises the importance of maintaining clear visibility at road junctions and along public roads in the interests of road safety. Given the strong growth conditions in recent weeks, works are being prioritised to maximise safety benefits, with interventions timed to achieve the most effective results across the extensive roads network. Roscommon County Council will continue to monitor conditions and adjust resources as required, with a particular focus on maintaining safe visibility at key locations.”
The spokesperson went onto to say that the Council operates an annual hedge cutting and grass verge maintenance programme across all road classes. While there are restrictions during the bird nesting season, the Council is permitted to undertake minimal verge maintenance where it is necessary for road safety purposes, including at junctions, bends, and around signage. Works are therefore targeted to ensure compliance with environmental obligations while trying to address safety risks and the current growth in roadside vegetation.
The Council has an active programme in place to manage verge growth during the peak growing season. Currently crews are focusing on critical locations such as junctions, sightlines, and road signage while priority is also being given to higher traffic routes, including national and regional roads, followed by local primary routes.
The council outlined that six hedge cutting units are deployed across the county’s operational areas on an ongoing basis while additional contractors are currently engaged to address priority locations and high volume traffic routes.
“In delivering this programme, appropriate traffic management measures will be implemented, and road users are asked to exercise caution in these areas to ensure the safety of both operators and the travelling public.
“While the Council carries out a structured hedge cutting and verge maintenance programme focused on key routes and critical locations, this does not remove the general responsibility on landowners and occupiers to ensure that vegetation on their property does not create a hazard for road users. In particular, maintaining reasonable visibility at entrances, junctions and along local roads is important for overall road safety,” the spokesperson added.
The local authority is calling on motorists to exercise caution at all times, particularly when approaching rural junctions where visibility may be reduced. Drivers should reduce speed, proceed carefully, and only enter or cross the roadway when it is safe to do so.
Members of the public are encouraged to report any particularly hazardous locations, especially where visibility is significantly impaired, to their local Municipal District Office so that the issue can be assessed and prioritised as part of the ongoing roads programme.
