7:10am Sunday 8th November 2009
By Martin George
Kingston Council has been accused of wasting money cutting down an avenue of trees, four days after a contractor removed a trip hazard caused by their roots for just £80.
The council smoothed over the roots of one lime tree in Portland Road, Kingston, and repaired the pavement last Thursday, but despite residents’ pleas for the tree to be saved it was cut down on Monday morning.
Jeff Hollingworth, of Portland Road, said a survey of residents showed 30 people wanted to save the trees while seven wanted them cut down.
He said: “The way the council has acted is an absolute disgrace.
"It is trying to destroy an avenue of beautiful trees on a spurious argument about health and safety. Their own safety officer has demonstrated there are other and cheaper means to deal with this.
“For some reason Kingston Council, not for the first time, seem blind to the ecological and psychological benefits of such beautiful trees and have again ridden roughshod over the wishes of the local community.”
A council spokesman said: “Residents were consulted this time last year about the state of the trees and helped identify which would need to be removed.
"A programme for removal was agreed between the council and local residents and the works were scheduled to take place this week.
“In the interim, the roots of one of the trees that had been earmarked for removal were identified as causing a particular trip hazard.
"The council has a duty to maintain safety on the highway and so arranged a temporary repair of this trip hazard - by covering the roots with tarmac to create a smooth ramp - until the tree was removed this week.”
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