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Trees on city route face chop for causing hazard

Adam Moss
BBC News, Leicester
Google An image of trees in front of a row of shops along a city centre road. Google
Leicester City Council is planning to chop down five trees in Melton Road

Trees at the side of the road can add a splash of green to a city - but five along Leicester's Golden Mile are causing something of a problem.

The five semi-mature lime trees in Melton Road have grown so large their roots are causing cracks in the pavement.

Leicester City Council has said the fissures have grown to the point where the pavement is unsafe, especially for people who are elderly and have mobility issues.

The council is now looking to remove the problem by chopping down the trees, which sit between Melton Road's junctions with Marfitt Street and Acorn Street, but has to consult members of the public before any work starts.

Leicester City Council An image of a pavement with cracks in it caused by a lime tree. Leicester City Council
The council says the cracks caused by "root damage" are posing a danger to pedestrians who are elderly or have mobility problems

The council says the roots cannot be removed without destabilising the trees, so the only option is to remove them completely before the pavements are repaired.

Two new trees would be planted to replace each one that is chopped down, but the council says they would be placed on soft verges in more suitable areas so the cracks in the pavement do not eventually reappear.

Details of the consultation can be found on the city council website.

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