Accident waiting to happen

Residents on the slip road on Harvey Lane in Norwich, are taking matters into their
own hands, despite the dangers, to cut back a roadside hedge because it is blocking
a warning sign about a concealed entrance ahead of a blind bend. In desperation,
they are using ladders and hedge trimmers, while standing in the road, directly in the
line of oncoming traffic.

The concealed entrance is Eden Close. Residents who live here are very worried
when exiting their road, because cars are travelling at speed around the corner and
they will not have seen the warning sign.

Norfolk County Council are supposed to trim hedges and verges 4 times a year, but
that didn’t happen in 2023 or 2024.

Jane Overhill, Labour Party community activist for Thorpe Hamlet, has written to
Norfolk County Council on behalf of the residents, several times about this issue to
no avail, eventually submitting a complaint, which got a more detailed response.
Norfolk County Council said:-

“I am very sorry to hear of your concerns and have shared your correspondence with
the area Highway Engineer to investigate the matter. Please accept our sincere
apologies for the delay in carrying out this work. Highways would have liked to have
had all of the hedge work completed last winter but they have had a number of
internal issues that meant that did not happen, which is regrettable. Going forward,
the work has been added to the annual programme so should not be missed again.
The Engineer has visited the area to inspect and has advised that while the uncut
section of hedge is overgrown, in its current condition it is safe. The hedge cutting to
the property side and top are complete, as this was able to be carried out without the
need for extensive traffic management. The last face, the carriageway side, is
planned to be cut with a tractor and flail as Highways cannot carry out the work
safely by hand without extensive traffic management.

The tractor and flail programme is generally carried out during the winter months
when there is little to no chance of nesting birds and there is a lot less cut foliage and
material to clear. In light of this, citywide tractor and flail work has been ordered and
is due to be completed January-March 2024”.

Jane said “Norfolk County Council has missed my point entirely. It’s not about the
safety of the hedge it’s about a warning sign being obscured. The hedge has only
been trimmed because the local residents have done it themselves, despite the
danger. The fact is Norfolk County Council have failed in their duty in 2023 and
2024, despite reassurances. I am worried that if this continues, someone is either
going to get hurt pulling out of Eden Close or hit by a car while they are trimming the
hedge.”