Clearance work continues at Ampthill tree felling site

Work to clear drainage ditches is resuming on a road where hundreds of trees have been felled.

Ampthill residents complained that Central Bedfordshire Council contractors felled trees that screened them from the industrial estate.

The council said the removed trees were causing drainage problems.

The authority's highways department has now told residents that it "understands their frustrations" resulting from removal of the trees.

"We're looking at potential ecological mitigation works, which are likely to include planting wildflowers within the ditch and planting trees on the verges away from the ditch, if feasible," the council explained.

It is hoped the works will prevent trees falling into the highway, improve visibility at junctions and around signage, as well as prevent flooding.

A council project brief said that it would remove "hazardous trees that will fall on the highway before the next inspection cycle".

Other aspects of the work, which resumed on Thursday, include "clearing vegetation from drainage ditches, dredging these ditches to clear blockages and improve flow, and alleviating the subsidence of the carriageway".

A 'Stop the Tree Massacre' social media group has opposed the works.

Campaigners said the trees were planted by developers more than ten years ago to improve their living environment.

Samantha Blake, a local resident, said the trees had helped block noise pollution from the industrial estate.

"Before we were looking at trees - and now we're looking at graffitied metal fencing," she said.

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