Overgrown trees blocking drivers' view in Portlaoise leafy surburb
'Every' housing estate in Laois town needs tree works claims councillor
Trees are blocking drivers views and road signs in a leafy Portlaoise suburban housing estate, but Laois County Council has agreed to a trim.
Labour Cllr Marie Tuohy asked for the work to be done at Highfield Meadows, off the Borris Road.
She tabled a motion to a recent meeting of Portlaoise Municipal District, where she described the problem.
"Traffic is slowing but visibility is the issue. I'd ask for a new white line also," she said.
The council engineer said there is a bundle of works to be carried out by a line-marking company in contract to the council.
Wes Wilkinson also said that his office will arrange to carry out the maintenance work on the trees.
Cllr Willie Aird said it's a problem in every Portlaoise estate, and claimed they can only be cut outside of birdnesting season.
"I'm told it's taking two or three months to get done. Could we get a timeframe? It's only in bird nesting season that we get to do it and it's not all done," he said.
Mr Wilkinson said he can note the work as "special interest" and prioritise it.
"Do we put 'special interest' on every motion then? I have it in every estate, we will get through the winter very quickly," Cllr Aird said.
Birdnesting season, when uncultivated hedgerows and trees cannot be cut or burnt, runs from March 1 to August 31. However growth can be cut back during that time if it is for construction work or for road safety reasons, such as at junctions, with permission of the local authority.