The Chairman of Isle of Wight council, Councillor Karl Love, has strongly condemned the removal of trees from the roundabout in East Cowes, describing the scene as “appalling” and an act of “nature vandalism”.
The roundabout, which had been planted with trees to blend into the surrounding environment, has now been left bare, prompting concern from the local community.
No history of accidents
Councillor Love, who represents East Cowes, expressed disbelief at the removal of the trees, stating that there has never been an accident in the area that would justify such an action.
He emphasised that the vegetation had been an important part of the roundabout’s design, supporting wildlife and creating a natural ecosystem.
Community anger over destruction
Having recently driven past the roundabout, Councillor Love described his shock at seeing the changes, saying that members of the community were “up in arms” over the loss of the well-established greenery.
He stressed that the roundabout had been covered with trees for many years, providing a habitat for birds and other wildlife, and that their sudden removal had taken place without consultation.
Calls for immediate replanting
Councillor Love criticised Island Roads, the organisation responsible for the roundabout’s maintenance, for what he sees as a contradiction in their conservation claims.
While acknowledging the need for road safety, he insisted that the roundabout had never posed an issue for drivers and that the trees must be reinstated.
Making clear that the matter requires urgent attention, he stated,
“I insist that it is replanted immediately with the same species of trees.”
IR “Vegetation restricted the visibility of vehicles”
A spokesperson from Island Roads said,
“The safety of all road users is, of course, our primary concern in managing the highway network across the Isle of Wight. The works undertaken at the Whippingham Road/Saunders Way roundabout were necessary safety work to restore the junction-wide visibility at this location.
“For a roundabout of this size, the national standard recommends that road users can see the whole of the circulatory carriageway. We identified that the vegetation restricted the visibility of vehicles using the roundabout, potentially increasing the risk of road user conflict.”
IR: “Previous planting arrangement for this roundabout was not suitable”
They went on to say,
“It is clear that the previous planting arrangement for this roundabout was not suitable, as the heights and density of the shrubs planted limited visibility. We also acknowledge that the one tree planted in the centre was not a suitable species because it could not be managed to ensure its canopy did not restrict visibility.
“Whilst we appreciate the visual severity of our recent activity, this was an initial measure to ensure works were undertaken before the bird nesting season began and are part of a wider plan to replant the roundabout with soft landscaping more appropriate to its location.
“Once works are completed and the shrubs are established, we will ensure they are maintained at a lower height. We believe our work will improve the visual appearance once the new planting is in place, as well as improve the safety.
“We have undertaken maintenance cutting recently at other sites, such as the roundabout outside B&Q at St George’s Way to achieve better visibility and where the plant growth had outgrown limited space available within the roundabout. We continue to monitor these and other roundabout sites and will take appropriate action where necessary.
Article edit
5pm 26 Feb 2025 – IR comment added
