Dear Editor,
Please help me here – there is an important issue which needs highlighting before an accident happens and I would very much appreciate your support in bringing it to the attention of your readers in the hope that something is done about it.
If you zoom into the attached pictures you can see branches that are broken but are still attached to the tree and now hang downwards (leaves have turned brown at lower position). The trees are positioned by a well used footpath, used by many children as a route to get to and from school and if a branch falls on someone it could hurt them. It is an accident waiting to happen which could be easily avoided if someone takes ownership of the situation.
In picture numbers 2, 3 and 4 you see clearly substantial breaks in the hanging branch and in number 5 you can see it is from a tree near the lamp post almost directly above the pathway. This damage came about during the severe storm earlier this month.
So far I have made contact with:
• The Fire Brigade
• Rye Town Council
• Rother District Council
• Southern Housing (as advised by Rother)
All replied that it was not their responsibility. What happens if a child is hurt? They will wish they’d done something about it then. It begs the question, who cares?
Thanks for coming back to me and for your offer to help,
Regards
Derek Bayntun
Image Credits: Derek Bayntun .
Interesting that no one wishes to take responsibility for this neglect of these trees,surely the authority that cuts the grass beneath these trees, must be responsible for the up keep of that area.
Simple answer must be whoever owns the land, if there’s public access then surely the owner has a duty of care to keep them safe.
Definitely not the fire brigades problem.
If that is a public footpath (public right of way) then East Sussex County Council might be the best authority to approach. You can report online and there is a number for emergencies –
https://www.eastsussex.gov.uk/leisure-tourism/discover-east-sussex/rights-of-way/problems-on-rights-of-way/report
I confirm this appears to be public footpath RYE/38/1
I’ve reported it by Email to ESCC Rights of Way, but no harm in others doing likewise.
I believe it is East Sussex council who hold this responsibility.
It is the responsibility of the Highways authority, though you would think someone at the other organisations might have the nous to pass it on. It is the fault of central government (not just the last 13 years) starving local government of funds for decades. It costs a lot of money to run a 21st century state. Our roads and paths are replete with holes, foliage obscuring signs, white lines too faded to see, signs pointing the wrong way etc etc. Not to mention signs that fail to warn HGVs about the Landgate!
[NOTE: The Local Highways Authority is East Sussex County Council]
Mystery solved. Via my very helpful contact at County Council Rights of Way we have established the tree is on Rother District Council land. Rother’s Parks Technical Officer is arranging for the damaged branch to be removed.
With things like this it’s worth approaching your District or County Councillors. That’s Cllrs Si McGurk and Cheryl Creaser for Rother matters.
During the afternoon of the storm I phoned 999 and I asked for the Fire Brigade as their station is close by and was informed it was not for them but they would inform the Council
I just hope the danger will be dealt with soon
It sounds like Cllr. Mier has things in hand, Derek. The power of Rye News!
Update: the necessary work was done before Christmas. See this Rye News article -https://www.ryenews.org.uk/news/with-a-nudge-from-rye-news-link