Storm damage causes hazardous tree situation. Leaning trees threaten road safety near Aughnacloy. Action is urged.
The fallen trees stretch the cabling, and one tree holds the other. Both hang over the road. The resident told Councillor Burton about it, and now she’s trying to get action.
Burton is annoyed by the lack of clear responsibility. Initial reports mentioned electrical cables, but it turns out they are BT wires. NIE checked, but it wasn’t their problem.
Burton is really worried about these trees. She says one tree supports the other, and recent storms made the situation worse. She fears they’ll fall onto the road soon, as previous pressure was already on the wires.
She hopes officials act before disaster hits. The trees sit near a blind corner, and falling trees could endanger drivers coming from Dungannon, heading towards Aughnacloy.
Burton contacted several groups for help, including the council, DfI, and BT. Determining who owns the trees is hard; it could be the Housing Executive, local farmers, or even DfI.
Accountability is Burton’s long-time concern. Minister Hargey supported her years ago, discussing it during Stormont’s COVID break. Hargey promised it’d be a priority then.
Burton fears less action will happen now. New laws won’t prioritize tree maintenance or force accountability on DFI, the Housing Executive, or individuals.
Openreach said landowners must deal with falling trees, a view shared by DfI. Openreach fixes cable damage after the tree removal.