Call for lifting of restrictions on verge cutting along Cork roads

A motion calling for there not to be restrictions on the cutting of verges along public roads prompted observations from councillors that “the birds and the bees were too clever” to make their homes in roadside ditches. The motion was made at a meeting of Cork County Council this week.

While the impact of cutting on flora and fauna was mentioned, most councillors focused on the safety of the roads, a number of which had become so overgrown that the grass on the left was meeting the growth on the right.

The motion, proposed by Independent councillor Finbar Harrington, who represents West Cork, urged the council to request an amendment to public policy to ensure that there would be “no prohibited period for verge cutting on all public roads”.

Dangerous

“We all know how dangerous the vegetation growth that encroaches on public roads can be to all users, be they walkers or cyclists or motorists,” said Mr Harrington. He pointed out that under current legislation, landowners were prohibited from hedge-cutting between March 1 and August 31 on all uncultivated lands.

“There are several exceptions to this, one being the grounds of road safety,” he said.

“The problem is that, especially in West Cork, ferns, grass, briers, and brambles and vegetation, they grow at an alarming rate at this time of the year.

“A road that was OK a month ago is dangerous now.”

Mr Harrington said that the West Cork region, as a tourism destination, needed better management of its road verges and he detailed a number of examples where he had been contacted by road users whose vehicles had been damaged by overgrown verges.

A large number of other councillors echoed Mr Harrington’s concerns, and Independent councillor in East Cork Mary Linehan Foley suggested that the motion be amended to include footpaths, many of which were becoming overgrown with vegetation.

Deputy Mayor Martin Coughlan, who chaired the meeting, said that he was aware of footpaths in his area, Macroom, that were so overgrown that women pushing buggies were forced to step off the pavement onto the road.

Opposition

The motion was met with opposition from two Social Democrat councillors, who pointed to the biodiversity crisis. Liam Quaide, representing East Cork, said that widespread and indiscriminate hedge cutting was happening at this time of the year and it was happening “with impunity”.

“Our trees and hedgerows have never been more at risk,” Mr Quaide said.

“And this is in the context of a biodiversity crisis which threatens the survival of all species, including human life.

“In my view, we need to protect the vibrancy and colour and lushness of our roadside verges, as well as their biodiversity value for pollinators.

“The road-safety implications of roadside verges is drastically exaggerated, in my view.

“At junctions and other safety pinch-points, by all means cut, but this is not what we see in practice.”

His Social Democrat colleague, Isobel Towse, said all West Cork councillors would have passed the grassy verges growing along the roadside exiting Bandon on the way to Cork.

“I do not understand how grassy verges such as these could pose a danger.”