People take DIY approach to verge cutting

VERGE trimming needs to be urgently carried out on roads and junctions in the Ballinasloe MD, according to local councillors.

At last week’s Ballinasloe MD meeting, Fianna Fáil Cllr Michael Connolly highlighted the rate of growth of roadside vegetation and grass in recent weeks throughout the county. Independent Ireland Cllr Declan Geraghty said the lack of verge trimming being done was down to neglect .

“Hedges and road junctions, it’s been the same story every year with them for the past seven years since I joined the council and not one thing has changed,” said Cllr Geraghty.

“We asked a number of months ago to be summer ready. Why was there no plan put in place for verge cutting? They are accidents waiting to happen because of neglect and it has to be called neglect at this stage after seven years.

“There are local people who decided to go out themselves to cut back the grass and vegetation with strimmers.”

Cllr Michael Connolly mentioned the Mountbellew-Ballyforan Road (L3210) as an area where verge trimming could be carried out.

“I was driving through the county in the last week or so and there is an urgent need for verge trimming and cutting at junctions after the bit of growth we’ve had,” offered the Moylough Cllr.

Paul Batty, an executive engineer with Galway County Council, said the local authority would look to prioritise improving visibility at road junctions with verge trimming.

The closed period for the cutting, burning or destroying of vegetation where birds may be nesting runs from March 1 to August 31. However, exceptions can be made when it comes to road safety concerns and cutting the verges at dangerous junctions.