The President of the Irish Road Haulage Association (IRHA), Ger Hyland, has issued a strong call to action for local authorities across Ireland to address dangerously overgrown hedges on public roads.
Speaking on Morning Mix, Mr. Hyland said the current level of growth, spurred by ideal weather conditions this year, has become a serious road safety concern, particularly at junctions where drivers now have to move out onto roads just to see oncoming traffic.
“There’s no visibility at many rural junctions. Cyclists are swerving, mirrors are getting clipped, and trucks are being pushed out across lanes. This is not just an inconvenience – it’s a risk to lives,” Hyland stated.
He also pointed to the financial impact, estimating his own mid-sized operation is losing up to €6,000 a month on repairs to trucks due to overhanging branches damaging mirrors and cabs. Despite a general prohibition on hedge cutting from March to August to protect wildlife, the President is emphasising that an exemption exists when overgrowth creates a road safety hazard.
He called on local authorities to act within that exemption, trim hedges immediately at problem areas, and to begin cutting all country roads to a height of at least four metres from August 1st onward.
“The safety of road users must take priority. This is a recurring issue every year, and it’s getting worse. It’s time for councils to step up,” he concluded.
