'So dangerous' - Calls for Louth landowners to be billed for overgrown trees

Louth County Council have been told to clamp down on overgrown trees which are creating dangerous driving conditions for motorists. 

Fianna Fáil councillor Shane McGuinness told the March meeting of the Dundalk Municipal District that trees are "growing out over the roads" and called for the local authority to bill landowners whose trees encroach onto the road.

He said despite trees being quite bare, "some of them are so bad that lorries are going out over the white line to get around them". 

Cllr McGuinness said areas on the Carrick Road are "really, really bad" and said there is growth going "right across" the Ardee Road towards Tallanstown which has left it in "such a dangerous state". 

"We have written to landowners and asked them to cut them back but I think we have to seriously look at some type of legislation around making them cut them."

"I just think maybe we should try get hold of these landowners and see if there’s any more we can do especially on main roads."

"Maybe we can, maybe we can’t - I’m not sure. Even if we went and cut them ourselves that we’d bill them for it because some of the roads at the minute are so dangerous," he said.

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A spokesperson for Louth County Council said it has issued a "couple of notifications landowners regarding issues". 

He said the local authority would "look into" any dangerous junctions or encroachment and "get that actioned". 

Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme.