Council cutbacks, not high enough..

I've just returned from a tour down to lovely Devon, and although I realise most of the coastal roads are a tad on the narrow side, the width issue isn't helped by the massive hedges only being cut back to a height of 5 to 6 feet from the road surface. This is fine for cars, and tough high-sided commercial vehicles can stand a battering, but with substantial vegetation growing up to 3 feet into the road on each side, it's a nightmare for us MH drivers. This apparent oversight by councils isn't confined to Devon either, we also toured around the Mendips, and if anything the problem is even worse on the roads there.
My one and only insurance claim in the van was when negotiating a reasonably narrow two-lane road and hitting a 3inch diameter tree branch which was concealed from view by high overgrown hedges, so I'm more aware than most.
Al.

Probably something to do with 'elf and safety and not being able to work above head height without scaffolding.

You will not have that problem in Cornwall, down here they don't cut the bottom 5 to 6 feet either....

It's not just the hedges, I'm lucky enough to live in Devon but cut backs mean the ditches on my road (on a hill) which should be cleared every year haven't been done in the last five so every time it rains 3 inch stones are washed from the side of the road and 20% of an already narrow road has disappeared in the last year.
I do have a cunning plan though I have an old XT500 trail bike in the shed ready to make an escape if required  [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

Tell us more about the xt500, is it a runner, restored or a future project, or is it for sale?

In some cases it’s the landowner's responsibility to cut hedges bordering his land. The farmer/landowner is also restricted by law to the times of year he can cut them in the interests of preserving flora and fauna but there is a lot more to it than that.

Seems in many cases it's the adjacent landowner's responsibility to cut hedges and keep roadside ditches clear, according to this (and similar on many other rural councils' websites):

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Another true story... from Devon!

A digger needs picking up and returning to the depot. 'elf and safety dictates no one can go out alone, two signs need to be erected to warn motorists whilst the digger is being loaded. Three people depart in a van at 0930 to take the signs to site ready for when the truck arrives. 1230 the truck departs the same depot so the first gang have sat for three hours waiting.

As we know no one is allowed out alone so two people are in the truck, we now have five workers on site to load one digger on to the truck.

WHY DIDN'T THREE PEOPLE GO IN THE TRUCK AT 1230?

Arguably 10 man hours wasted to load one digger on to one truck!

Maybe it is government policy in this country to create jobs this way.

Toffee wrote:Tell us more about the xt500, is it a runner, restored or a future project, or is it for sale?

Hi Toffee , she's 1978 US import. Came to UK in 1993 then one owner for next 18 years!! Purchased by me in 2011, not currently for sale. Unfortunately a bit heavy to go on the back of the Executive. Better not hijack the thread but happy to give more details if you PM me.

rogerblack wrote:Seems in many cases it's the adjacent landowner's responsibility to cut hedges and keep roadside ditches clear, according to this (and similar on many other rural councils' websites):

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It doesn't really matter who actually is responsible for cutting back, nor who does it. The council should ultimately enforce the bylaws. I'd just like to know how high the landowners are required to cut back the overhanging hedges. I'm sure it must be more than the 2 metres that seems to be the norm on anything but major roads.
Al.

Al,

Head room should be 2.1m (7ft) for footpaths and 5.2m (17ft) on roads. As said before it is generally the landowners responsibility to maintain this with the highways Authority to enforce, last resource usually 14 day notice to rectify and then they can do the work and charge back to the landowner.

Mike