Residents cut down trees at Montpelier

[whole diary]

[Red Squirrel]

Residents cut down a wood on Bristol railway line without permission to improve their views
Residents of a street in Bristol are being investigated after they hired a tree surgeon and chopped down dozens of trees along a railway line to improve the view from the backs of their house.

Network Rail said the residents of Cromwell Road did not have permission to send the tree surgeon company onto the embankment next to Montpelier station, and said the incident was serious enough for a full-blown investigation to be launched.

Furious residents living nearby have been left shocked after discovering their neighbours had clubbed together to hire a tree surgeon company, and sent them onto Network Rail land on Wednesday and Thursday last week to start cutting down a large swathe of woodland.

Article goes on. And on. Source: Bristol Post

[grahame]

Residents cut down a wood on Bristol railway line without permission to improve their views
Residents of a street in Bristol are being investigated after they hired a tree surgeon and chopped down dozens of trees along a railway line to improve the view from the backs of their house.

Network Rail said the residents of Cromwell Road did not have permission to send the tree surgeon company onto the embankment next to Montpelier station, and said the incident was serious enough for a full-blown investigation to be launched.

Furious residents living nearby have been left shocked after discovering their neighbours had clubbed together to hire a tree surgeon company, and sent them onto Network Rail land on Wednesday and Thursday last week to start cutting down a large swathe of woodland.

Article goes on. And on. Source: Bristol Post

Speechless ... as I think another member was too

I'll just leave this here
http://www.bristolpost.co.uk/news/bristol-news/residents-cut-down-wood-bristol-1129002

Not good news for wildlife (including Squirrels), for embankment stability, or for the rule of law.  There is some doubt on the latter, as the residents seem to think they had permission, and presumably had convinced their tree surgeon of their (resident's) legitimacy ...

[Bmblbzzz]

I've just read this on the Bristol Post site. I don't know if any sort of licence or qualification is needed to be a tree surgeon but surely making sure your client owns the land you're working on or has permission to carry out work there should be a prerequisite.

I've noticed some of that embankment used as a sort of garden extension though for years, so perhaps this is just a logical next step. In other words, perhaps Network Rail will no longer be able to turn a blind eye (if that's what it was doing) to 'harmless' encroachments.

On a lighter note, was anyone else amused that the work was coordinated by a Jonty Cutting?

[bobm]

This was October 2016 - looks like it would have been quite a task to clear that foliage

[JayMac]

Network Rail should now come along and install a nice tall, spiked top, unsightly fence at the top of the embankment.

Without consulting first.

The residents won't like it up 'em.

[Bmblbzzz]

As it's proven to be an area of repeated trespass on the line, that might be justified.

Edit: Though it might have the effect of persuading those residents to go down to the platform then cross the line to tend their 'gardens'. It's not a particularly busy or fast line so that probably feels safe... until it results in tragedy.

[JayMac]

Once the fence is in place, a nice thick and deep planting of Leylandii should have the desired effect of quickly replacing the felled trees.

20 ft growth in just 6 or 7 years.

[Western Pathfinder]

I was wondering how long it would be before someone spotted Mr Cutting.

[chuffed]

I wonder how long it will be before we get some Cutting Remarks ?!! 

[TaplowGreen]

I believe a couple of Japanese soldiers were found in amongst all the foliage, who surrendered after a brief standoff once they had been convinced that the war was over.

[johnneyw]

I believe a couple of Japanese soldiers were found in amongst all the foliage, who surrendered after a brief standoff once they had been convinced that the war was over.

Oh great, so all these nights in my Anderson Shelter have been unnecessary! 😬

[simonw]

Not sure what to think about this.

Obviously, any action taken should have been by Network Rail to ensure the stability of the embankment and any wildlife environments, but several residents have reported that over the years the embankment has not been managed and their gardens have been starved of light.

[Richard Fairhurst]

On a lighter note, was anyone else amused that the work was coordinated by a Jonty Cutting?

I was, but not as amused as I’d have been if it were Mark Chopwood.

[LiskeardRich]

Let’s hope network rail logged the incident correctly, and if not perhaps they should stump up some cash to employ some extra staff and then turn a new leaf to make sure a log is correctly completed

[froome]

Let’s hope network rail logged the incident correctly, and if not perhaps they should stump up some cash to employ some extra staff and then turn a new leaf to make sure a log is correctly completed

Should do, it is on a branch line after all.