Who’s responsible for roadside weeds?

The wet spring followed by some fine and warm weather has certainly triggered some growth around the island - and been a feature of this year’s hedge inspections.

While Vale parishioners were generally good at meeting the deadline for cutting back hedges, what we and the other parishes noticed was the amount of weeds and other growth sprouting from between the base of hedges/walls and the pavement or road.

Where this hadn’t been cleared, it was dense enough to impede pedestrians in some cases and a couple of examples were worse than the hedges above them!

Inevitably, this has generated some discussion in the parishes over who is responsible for clearing this ‘no-man’s land’ area.

One authority told the Vale, however, that strictly, it is not unclaimed. ‘Should the wall collapse then it is the home owner’s responsibility to repair or rebuild. The road or footpath is the property of all of us as the "States", the hedge or wall is the property owners,’ he said.

Vale Senior Constable Richard Leale said he was aware of the discussions taking place but wondered whether there was a simple solution.

While cutting hedges and cleaning streams was a legal responsibility, it was basically a matter of being a good neighbour and perhaps the weed issue was too.

‘There has been talk of legislation,’ he said, ‘but if people approach this in a public spirited way and property owners clear their own patch, the “problem” disappears.