Letter to Editor: Cut back the bushes as we have to walk onto Tillwicks Road
Politics / Tue 4th Jul 2023 at 09:27am
Dear Editor,
TRYING to walk along Tillwicks Road opposite the Phoenix Pub is a joke.
The bushes are so over-grown that pedestrians have to walk in the road and it’s not just a side road, it’s a major main road!
Then when you call contact Harlow to report it, all they throw back at you is, yes but there is certain work we cannot carry out due to birds nesting, which is fair enough but one, the majority of birds next at the top of trees and not the bottom of them not unless we have emus or ostrichs in this country plus some birds nest inside bushes not on the edge of them.
Plus, we are not all exactly Mohammed Ali or Bruce Lee, ducking and diving all the time as we are walking along.
Plus, this council seem to forget about the health and safety of those who pay to have these services carried out and that is the residents of Harlow.
They also so seem to forget that some people might be allergic reaction to some plants and can even end up blind.
This proves that the Tory administration party of Harlow is not better than the former Labour administration party of Harlow. None of them.put the health and wellbeing of the Harlow residents first.
Finally, I feel sorry for parent who have to pay a lot of money for their children’s school uniforms that get damaged by these over grown bushes.
None of them will ever got mine or my wife’s vote again.
Kind Regards.
From
Dan Long
Mondo
2023-07-04 11:30:55
Quite agree Dan. I had a council grasscutter live me. He would be off to work to start at 8am then he would be back home by 8.10 with his ride on mower parked at the side of his house. He would stay till about 9.30 then disappear for a few hours but always back before 12. Lunchtime then parked up at side of his house again on the pavement. Off again after 1pm but back home finished for the day before 3.30pm That Dan is why your hedges arent cut because the council workers dont spend enough time doing what us council tax payers pay them to do!
Nicholas Taylor
2023-07-04 12:43:59
So much for the Tory claim to be taking action to make improvements to the appearance of the town. What Dan has highlighted is the same across the whole town, overgrown flower beds, poor grass cutting and little if no action when it comes to cutting back trees. And as for the flower beds along Broadwalk you would think that our Tory Councillors would be so embarrassed by the state of the them that they would go out and tidy them up themselves. Remember the words of our Council Leader Cllr Swords who said Harlow would be the best Town in Britain, have the the best Town Centre in Essex and the best Cycle track in the world, well after 26 months in power the Tories have done absolutely nothing.
LW
2023-07-04 17:00:46
Try walking from Nazeing to Broxbourne. It is impossible without walking into the road. It has been like it since the lockdown. Birds nesting is an excuse. Labour council.
Chris
2023-07-04 17:11:42
And yet here we are where I have purchased land and asked the council to stop maintaining it as they keep cutting the bushes we plant down twice now. It has now been recognised that it is our land and we want the council to stop mowing it. They still do though. Raised it to a complaint and was told that HTS has a duty of care to ensure that grass is cut a mowers width from a path... It's duty of care when it suits them and want to flex their power. The world is going mad for common sense and a duty of pride!
Martyn
2023-07-04 18:41:36
Absolutely agree with the comments walked along this road this morning almost had to walk in main road disgusting also agree with the upkeep of the large trees in the town had to wait several months for the tree outside our house to be trimmed 2 men arrived with no proper equipment for about 30 mins hardly took anything off
Alan
2023-07-04 19:35:49
The reason for the lack of hedge cutting, grass cutting ect is known as rewilding, that's the council's excuse not just Harlow but other council's in Essex, it's more to do with wokenes.
Brian Wilson
2023-07-04 21:47:30
What about the pot holes on Tumbler Road, the side roads were ripped up and tarmac but bogged out side manor close old age peoples home and alone the road down to the phoenix there is a guy that filled in a pot hole because his old mum went down it 3 time, Harlow Council took the bus service away what is happening in Harlow
Paul Brigland
2023-07-05 10:56:03
It’s the same along parts of Edinburgh Way between the Toby roundabout and the Queens Gate roundabout. That backs onto a nature reserve, and the Town Park, is on the opposite side, so plenty of areas for birds to nest without forcing us of the pavement
Nicholas Taylor
2023-07-05 12:51:30
The power of the press or just embarrassment on the part of the Tory led Council, apparently this hedge is being cut back today!
David Forman
2023-07-05 17:42:56
Gardeners know that cutting hedges in summer can land them in trouble with the Wildlife & Countryside Act 1981. Hedges should be inspected for nests before cutting and then only the faces cut. The tops should only be done if obstructing vision at a road junction. The first paragraph of the W&CA 1981 says: "Subject to the provisions of this Part, if any person intentionally— (a) kills, injures or takes any wild bird; (aa) takes, damages or destroys the nest of a wild bird included in Schedule ZA1; (b) takes, damages or destroys the nest of any wild bird while that nest is in use or being built shall be guilty of an offence:" See https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1981/69/section/1
Kim Oconnor
2023-07-05 18:45:07
David foreman, it hasn't stopped them chopping trees down in nesting season..
Jim
2023-07-05 18:52:59
Kim, agreed, they chop down bushes as well whenever they want. I would rather they concentrate on picking up the rubbish along the cycle tracks and in amongst the bushes which disgracefully gets chucked by thicko's of Harlow than making sure hedges, bushes, tress get hacked down.
Pauline
2023-07-05 20:47:15
A number of interesting comments, but cound it be ECC are at fault rather than HDC. Because they are both of the same political control might they cover for each other? ECC are responsible for much of the roadside foliage problems and there are now many signs that can't be read because of overgrown trees and bushes - and ECC do not have a good reputation for carrying out many of their Highways (safety) duties. ECC needs considerable reform i.e. better management.
David Forman
2023-07-05 22:11:57
Kim, I have worked for HTS and I can assure you that the gardeners and tree gang care about wild birds and wildlife in general. I can clearly remember my supervisors and managers spelling it out in very clear terms about observing the Wildlife & Countryside Act. A full tree survey was underway last year and before cutting down any trees an inspection would have been made to ensure that nesting birds were not disturbed.
Dan Long
2023-07-06 18:16:05
Surprise,Surprise, the work has been carried out now.this proves that it is just a excuse from Harlow council not to do the jobs that the Harlow residents pay council tax for.its amazing what complaing can do
Dan Long
2023-07-06 18:26:06
Forman, thats all i asked the council to do.So stop trying to make mountain out of molehill.
Mark Gough
2023-07-06 19:48:08
To be honest this is an issue across the town. We have a tree on our green in Glebelands that is damn close to being in the road on the cul-de-sac. The unmowed areas for the benefit of wildlife should not be along main roads, as they make the main roads look uncared for. The main priority should always be to enable walking to be achieved along every pavement, and roads not overhanging to cause driving issues. As a former Environment Committee Vice Chair myself, I find it staggering that anyone needs to point this out. This is also the sort of thing that frankly Ward Councillors should pick up on regular walks around the Ward they represent. It says everything about the kind of Community minded guy Dan is, that why he might not currently be a Councillor, he is still working for his Community. Why have the three current Councillors of the Bush Fair Ward not picked this up? Mark Gough Reform UK
Dan Long
2023-07-06 20:08:26
Thanks for the complement Mark. Much appreciated. The other three councillors here in Bush fair and in the councillors other wards in Harlow only come out when they are begging Harlow residents for votes, two month before a election is due to be held.
Peter
2023-07-06 21:01:50
There is no doubt in my mind that a few Councillors are excellent. However, how can a Councillor cover BOTH HDC & ECC effectively? Yet we have four doing this double act, so they rarely respond. I suggest they are likely to be in it merely for their own 'ego' and perhaps double expenses!
Nogin the nog
2023-07-09 09:49:28
Be nice if the council cut the bushes and trees back on clock tower round about so you can see the traffic coming round when your trying to get out of potter street it's a nightmare you cant see cars to the last minute
20 Comments for Letter to Editor: Cut back the bushes as we have to walk onto Tillwicks Road: