Laois trucker calls for hedge-cutting campaign on roads
Rosenallis-based Ger Hyland is president of the Irish Road Hauliers Association
The Laois leader of Ireland’s truckers has called for a national campaign that engages with landowners and local authorities to cut back dangerous branches and hedgerows that are intruding onto rural roads.
Dangerous overgrown hedgerows and roadside trees are blocking sightlines, pushing vehicles over the white line and are a road-safety hazard on our rural roads. That is according to IRHA President, Ger Hyland, who called on the Road Safety Authority (RSA) to take ownership of the issue as part of its road-safety remit.
Mr Hyland feels that the RSA should proactively lead a campaign to encourage local authorities and landowners to ensure roads are cleared of dangerous overhanging branches, and vegetation. He described it as a critical road safety issue in rural areas.
“High-sided commercial vehicles, cyclists and pedestrians are all pushing out towards the white line to avoid branches and hedges growing onto the roads,” he said.
While the legal hedge cutting season runs from September 1st to the end of February, it is legal to cut back hedgerows and trees where they pose a road safety danger. Ultimately, landowners are legally responsible for ensuring vegetation on their property does not create a road safety hazard, but according to Ger Hyland, local authorities should have the ability to carry out necessary hedge cutting works and recover costs from landowners who refuse to keep their properties in good order.
The IRHA leader who runs a company in Rosenallis also raised the issue of damage to high-sided vehicles.
“The average haulier is losing between one and two mirrors a week across their fleet because of overhanging trees. HGV mirrors can cost €500 to replace which is an unacceptable cost burden on the average haulier.”
The IRHA President also raised the issue of traffic diversions whilst road works are taking place across the country.
“Local authorities and Transport Infrastructure Ireland are diverting traffic up small, narrow back roads to facilitate road works. Those back roads have hedgerows and tree branches that are completely overgrown and are often impassable in a 4-meter-high vehicle. While we always welcome road improvements, we would ask that any diversions are risk assessed in advance to ensure our vehicles can safely pass through the diversion,” he said.
Mr Hyland highlighted deaths on roads with 131 people killed as of September 11th 2026, 15 more fatalities than on the same date in 2025. He said this years deaths include 10 cyclists, 23 pedestrians, and 19 motorcyclists,” he said.