Tipperary landowners told they are responsible for traffic control while hedge cutting

Tipperary County Council has said it takes no responsibility for issues around hedge cutting on the county’s roadsides.

The issue was raised at Nenagh Municipal District Council by Fine Gael’s Cllr Ger Darcy, who asked if the council could assist a landowner with traffic management should they cut a hedge along a roadside.

Some of the work can be carried out in the field, but the landowner would need help when it came to removing the hedge fully.

The call for traffic management assistance was backed by Independent Cllr Michael O’Meara.

However, senior engineer Pater Fee told the councillors that the council did not have the resources to carry out traffic management for landowners. It was not a situation the council wanted to take on, he said.

However, he said the council had made exceptions in the past, but would not do to the same “for every farmer who wants it”. Mr Fee was supported by district manager Marcus O’Connor who said: “The landowner is responsible for cutting hedges, road safety and traffic management, or it’s the contractor’s responsibility if one is hired.”

Mr O’Connor said, however, that landowners could submit a request and the council would decide on a case by case basis.