DONT LET YOUR HEDGE BECOME A HAZARD

How can a hedge be a hazard?
Overgrown hedges next to footpaths and roads pose a real hazard to people who are disabled or who are visually impaired, young children or other pedestrians who risk injury or damage to their faces or clothing from thorns and branches.

If the pavement (footway) is narrow or the obstruction is excessive, they may be forced into the road.

This is particularly dangerous for wheelchair users or for people pushing a pram or buggy.

On junctions and bends overgrown hedges may obstruct sight lines and the clear view of motorists. They may also obscure traffic signs or streetlights, increasing the risk of accidents.

What should I do?
Check your own trees and hedges. Are they overhanging the footpath or boundary of your property?

Are they affecting visibility for road users?

If so, cut them back (or arrange to have them cut back) as soon as possible.

IT IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO CUT THEM BACK. It is Oakley Parish Council’s responsibility to ask you to cut them back if they are causing a hazard to paths and pavements. Our procedure is, if a hedge meets the criteria of obstructing paths and pavements, and needs to be cut back, a polite letter will be sent to the occupier asking them to do this. If the hedge is not cut back, a second reminder letter will be sent informing the occupier that if the hedge is not cut back details of the offending hedge and copies of the letters will be sent to Buckinghamshire Council, who will then contact the occupier to inform them if the hedge is not cut back immediately then Buckinghamshire Council will arrange for this to happen and the cost of this will be sent by invoice to the occupier.

Questions answered:

My hedge is on a junction but not overhanging the path. Do I need to cut it?
Areas of visibility where sight lines need to be kept clear (known as visibility splays) often cross private properties at junctions or on the inside of bends.

There is usually a restriction to planting over a certain height within these areas and this should be shown on your deeds.

If you allow planting over a certain height within a sight line, the Council can require you to prune the shrubbery.

In some circumstances, even if a sight line was not designated at the time of construction of a property, road usage may have increased to such an extent that one is needed to improve road safety. In such cases the Council can require sight lines and visibility splays to be provided.

My hedge and trees only overhang a small amount, and my trees are above head
height so why do I need to cut them back?
The County Council has a duty under the Highways Act 1980 to ensure that the highway is not obstructed.

Even small overgrowths can be hazardous particularly to blind and visually impaired people who often use property boundaries as a guide, or when a footpath is narrow.

It is also a requirement that anything overhanging a footway must be at least 2.3m above the footway, cycleway, verge and 5.3m above the road surface.

Even small overhangs can accelerate the deterioration of a road or pavement surface, by preventing it drying out and encouraging moss growth.