Councillor voices her road safety concerns on overgrown hedge

Councillor voices her road safety concerns on overgrown hedge

31 July 2024

ROADS officials have been asked to contact landowners at the King Street area in Newcastle to have overgrown hedges, which are partially blocking a busy footpath, trimmed. 

The appeal to the Department for Infrastructure has been made by Mournes councillor Laura Devlin.

She has been contacted about the hedge issue by pupils who attend Shimna Integrated College and parents of children who attend All Children’s Primary School.

Cllr Devlin said the protruding foliage is forcing pupils and parents to leave the footpath and walk on the main road.

“This is a really busy pathway with children commuting to both schools. It is also used by residents and walkers accessing the Mournes,” she explained.

“It is important that pedestrians have the full width of the pavement and are not forced onto the roadway, especially as they near the corner, as traffic can come around the corner from the direction of Lawnfield Grove at speed.”

Cllr Devlin sad she hopes officials from the government department can  engage with the various landowners at King Street and have the vegetation cut back.