Forum Topic

Residents Say tree roots are making pavements impassable

"Residents of Duke Road are calling for action over the escalating problem of pavement narrowing on their street."https://www.chiswickw4.com/default.asp?section=info&page=contrees014.htmI see the suggeestion seems to be to remove the trees. There is another option though, extend the pavement around the outside of the tree.

Paul James ● 28d36 Comments

Post by Paul James.

Janice Evans ● 9d

At 16.32

Janice Evans ● 9d

See photo posted earlier in the thread.

Janice Evans ● 9d

How can the pavement be extended around the outside of the tree?!

Pamela Mayorcas ● 9d

Agree, madness to even think of cutting down a tree in order to provide a parking place.

David Burke ● 9d

If there was no problem with tree roots and the foundations, it would be easier to make pavement wider even if one side of the road, extend it out all along one side.

Janice Evans ● 10d

Extending the pavement so that pedestrians can walk (or wheel) around the tree seems like a no brainer to me. Why would anyone prefer to cut a tree down over losing a parking space?

Dominik Klimowski ● 10d

www.treesforcities.org It would be interesting to know how old the saplings are which  need the help of residents watering them to survive their first few years as they are very vulnerable to drought - especially compared to the age and size of any trees that they may be replacing.

Philippa Bond ● 11d

www.treesforcities.orgIt would be interesting to know how old the saplings that are planted (which residents are asked to help keep watered during their first years when they are so vulnerable to drought) are compared to the age of any trees that may be being replaced.

Philippa Bond ● 11d

Seemingly gone all the days when dedicated arboriculture teams dealt with pollarding and basal growth. It would now appear to be a 'service' delivered by the lowest bidder with the the self-evident commensurate problems of 'hack and slash' and basal growth untouched. I did enquire some years ago with a basal growth issues were something that could be treated by local householders and was told that under no circumstances would I be allowed to touch the tree nor would I be able to get bags to dispose of any removed growth.  I did Oscar gain on the following year but was flatly refused.  You can only ask but it seem be little more than pruning, something that I later confirmed with workers at Kew Gardens.

N V Brooks ● 12d

We live in a part of a historic city where so many of our streets and houses were designed and built nearly 150 years ago before cars were available to be sold to or could be afforded by the general public who lived here.  With newer developments you can expect any main roads to be wider although many even newer will be designed to deter the use of and need to use cars.  Cars have been increasingly dominating our streets and lives over the years and have increased in size partly for safety reasons but also just because of fashion.  So have buggies!  This has further reduced available space.But trees are very important to our lives - maybe more than we first appreciate - when they just appear to be an impediment and irritation.  New small saplings just don't have the same good and immediate impact although they of course give the hope of more.  The tree that was cut down outside our houses had only been there for 40 years to our knowledge but had an important place in our lives marking the seasons - from the last lonely dancing brown leaves through the bleak bare branches of winter to those exciting first buds and promise of spring.  The charity Trees for Cities also list the reasons why trees are just so important to our streets and our lives especially in cities.BTW Not all species of trees seem to be suitable for pollarding but it would be good if more consideration was given to the importance of ALL trees although many have Tree Preservation Orders (TPOs) or are in Conservation Areas and there was more thought and help and assistance - money and/or advice given -to avoid completely cutting down established trees. 

Philippa Bond ● 12d

>I guess tree lined streets should be avoided where possible.We need many many more trees and tree lined streets, just in the right place, not making pavements too narrow and where exisiting trees do they need build outs around them, or yes, maybe taken down and another one planted in a more sensible place.https://www.streettreesforliving.org/benefits-of-trees

Paul James ● 14d

I totally understand the frustration that trees can cause but the current "ruling" is "Residents should never touch, prune, or remove trees on public land or protected sites. Any concerns about dangerous or overgrown trees should be reported to the local council or arborist, who can safely manage them."Please don't shoot the messenger I have a friend who lives in a Fulham tree lined street and roots have entered his basement and he too waits patently.I guess tree lined streets should be avoided where possible.

Tony Antares ● 14d

Can't we just live with it?

Juliet Hogg ● 22d

I am the person mentioned in the article. The pavement is dreadful - people with crutches, wheelchairs and even zimmer frames you see walking on the road because it is perceived safer. How many times I’ve had the pram at nearly tipping point is beyond belief. The council promised a site survey and myself to be invited for late Aug / early sept this was when I got a local MP involved - not happened.They now have a report but will not release it under freedom of information act as they are saying the report is unfinished- despite myself asking for initial unedited report without the recommendation. Of course they took it to the deadline and said no. I’m now appealed and asked for the measurements and further details without prejudice of the outcome and no reply to that so far.I was meant to have a meeting with their managers for just prior to this article being published and then they pulled out and say they would rearrange the following day but didn’t and since then I understand the person is away.I’m quite concerned they are not understanding the serious implications on safety and equality especially as council taxes are going up. My understanding is they are worried that implications here will be a massive financial burden not only on duke road but the whole borough. I’ve pointed out this problem for a couple of years as have neighbours and fortunately I’ve now realised massive contravention of highway act, equality act etc - they are now forced to do something. I understand they should have been pollarding the trees regularly to prevent this occurring at root level but I’ve only seen that once which was last year and that again was myself chasing the council to do it. I think the council need to take an active part in sorting the pavements. Even simple things like leaves are not removed off the uneven pavements until they are totally covered and even then it occurs months later than it should - in the mean time the residents end up arranging a self sweep collectively. Same with weeds which are a foot tall people end up sorting themselves as the council really is the same as the leaves and occurs according to their planned calendar once a year…. Are the council doing enough?… from the above - clearly not.

Bhavesh ● 23d

Phillipa, I wonder if you have walked up Duke Rd W4? The minimum pavement width should be 100cm. At multiple points on the road there is barely 70cm (which incidentally in interior design floorplans is the minimum width for a person to safely and comfortably pass between the walls and furniture).The issue isn't that people are charging down the road without looking or being inconsiderate. We don't get electric bikes on the pavement, you couldn't fit the width of a bicycle handlebar between the trees and front walls.Yes, one can stop and say hi to a neighbour or fellow passer by. But there are 9 trees even in the short span of Duke Rd between Glebe Rd and Chiswick High Rd. Several of those require one person to stop and wait (often both parties politely wait behind the tree, not seeing the other has waited, which is amusing for the first couple of times).It's not unfriendliness, it's simply, on a daily basis, a major impracticality. If anything, pavement chats are reduced as you would have to step back onto the road or become a further slalom point for pedestrians on what is a pretty busy footfall thoroughfare, with 2 schools at the far end and many residents popping to the shops.Additionally, the situation breaks the Equality Act, as wheelchair users are unable to use the pavements on Duke Rd at all for long stretches. It would be very hard for someone to navigate with a stick or crutches. And as others have mentioned, it's difficult for families with pushchairs.

Lizzie Bruce ● 26d

We still mourn the tree Ealing Council's contractors decided to completely cut down, chip and dispose of as part of "tree works" instigated suddenly without warning early one morning from outside the houses in our street last summer.  We have double glazing but our neighbour without was far more affected by the huge heat increase as a result and the little saplings although much appreciated are just not the same!  We've been watering them all summer so as not to lose them. The sloping granite kerbstones around the trunk weren't rectified and are now far more dangerous as they are now more exposed.  They become very slippery when wet.  Just another of those jobs to chase the Council on but a warning that solutions don't necessarily turn out as easily as you might initially think without causing collateral problems - as taking out large trees can also cause damage and movement problems just as they may do whilst growing.

Philippa Bond ● 26d

But it isn't just tree roots that make pavements difficult!  They are just easy to blame and the blame increases on everything else as your mobility and sight decreases which is when people start to shuffle rather than lift their feet (and they'll probably deny they do that and refuse to use a stick or wear 'sensible' shoes or seek out and go to exercise classes)!  The street lighting can often be poor and lower growth on certain trees doesn't help whether the flat paving stones have edges that protrude or rock or the undulating tarmac/resin bonded gravel makes it uneven and more difficult to negotiate than it once was.Once upon a time the roots would be trimmed but the worry and reality of falling trees and danger and damage isn't good either.Too many people walk straight at you nowadays looking at their phones or nattering to companions and are just plain unthinking or inconsiderate to others using the pavement.  I suppose it really just isn't British to actually speak to someone who you meet as you take turns if you need to in  passing each other.  How sad.  Plenty of pavements are damaged by motor vehicles big and small being driven selfishly over them to park or builders/utility companies digging holes and not making good properly afterwards - it's the latter that has changed my life forever.

Philippa Bond ● 26d

I guess an option to retain trees but avoid the zigzagging around for pedestrains would be to cut down the old trees, then plant new trees on build outs from the pavement so the trees are further away from the houses and the pavement has a straight run through.Removing an old tree though has quite an impact on the flaura and fauna that depend on it though.

Paul James ● 26d

Re "The Council and its contractors remain in regular dialogue with residents" – this must just mean replying to communication residents have proactively initiated as I have not had any contact from them and live on Duke Rd.In terms of the options, initially extending paving around the trees appealed to me but having given it more thought there are a few issues with it. 1) The mobility access improvement would be limited. Wheelchair users and buggies would have to take some tight corners. Plus, there are many trees on both sides of the road. Why should residents face a slalom course every time they walk to the shops or bus stop? 2) Unless the pedestrian area is raised it's likely cars will overspill onto the path parts (though perhaps not with the zealous parking enforcement officers). 3) It does not solve the issue of tree roots pushing up the pavement. Highly impactful for the residents of Duke Rd, these tree roots are also ruining paths to front doors, making them uneven to walk on – and in at least one case blocking drainpipe outlets, presumably the roots may also affect the foundations of our houses too, at least for those whose houses are only a metre or so from the tree – and some buildings on Duke Rd are.A Town Centre Project Management contact of mine (not at Hounslow) asked why the trees aren't being regularly pollarded which is the preventative action against tree root overgrowth. However, it seems too late for that now. Another case of short term thinking around Council service cuts.It's a daily issue for a lot of us. I've actually started walking down Glebe Rd whenever I'm going in that direction to avoid the tree roots and almost constant do-si-doing with other pedestrians.

Lizzie Bruce ● 26d

Option 3 would never happen in Hounslow. Lest we forget they paved over an existing garden space with macadam during the construction of the cycleway and called it "design."

David Lesniak ● 26d

Option 3 looks smart, allows for better mobility access.

Matthew Swain ● 26d

This site has published interesting and authoritative articles explaining the history of some of the street names in Chiswick, or who lived where, or what happened where with links to road names.  There's a series starting in 2004:30th May 2004 : Street names: https://www.chiswickw4.com/default.asp?section=info&page=conhistory01.htm4th June 2004 : Strand on the Green Who's Who: https://www.chiswickw4.com/default.asp?section=info&page=conhistory02.htm12th June 2004 : Horticulture and nursery gardens: https://www.chiswickw4.com/default.asp?section=info&page=conhistory03.htmAs you can see from the links, specifically the number at the end, there's a series. Change the number to find more articles about the history of various aspects of Chiswick. The series goes up to number 52. Some of the articles are very brief announcements, such as of talks, but there are several substantial articles that are worth reading.

Joanna Biddolph ● 26d

I wonder how many people knew it was Duke Road but Dukes (or Duke's) Avenue?Not me! Anyone know the origin of these street names?Was it the same duke whose name was connected with both streets?

Andrew Jones ● 26d

"Or even Dukes Road!"Or even Duke Road!

Gail Busza ● 27d

I can't comment about Dukes Avenue Philippa, but there are some streets in Ealing where the raised tree roots mean there is only a flat portion of pavement that is about 1/3rd of the width of the pavement where there are no adjacent trees.It's not pedestrians with good balance, mobility and eyesight who are particularly affected by this, it's those with limited mobility, wheelchairs, and blind or partially sighted who I think are most adversely affected.

Andrew Jones ● 27d

Or even Dukes Road!

Andrew Jones ● 27d

Surely most of the time people take it in turns to use the pavement space and pass the trees just as they do when they meet ither pedestrians?

Philippa Bond ● 27d

Looks ok paved.

Janice Evans ● 27d

So, what do people think ... should a) things be left as they are? b) trees removed and replaced with younger, smaller trees or c) have the pavement extended into the road, around the tree?Don't be shy in giving your opinion - it would be interesting to know what people think.

Andrew Jones ● 27d

As it isNo Tree :(How to keep the tree and a walkable/wheelable pavement...

Paul James ● 27d

So these trees blocking pavements should be cut down, or the pavement routed around the outside of them?

Paul James ● 27d

You beat me to it David !!

Madeleine Hazard ● 27d

"leave the trees alone"Oh the irony. Except for cutting those in the way of a barely mediocre cycle lane. Other than that, Chiswick should be left as is.

David Lesniak ● 27d

Mature trees are one of the reasons Chiswick is such a lovely area.  Leave the trees alone and where required expand the pavement.

Matthew Swain ● 27d

The only way to deal with this long term is either to chop them down (which would cause an uproar - rightlly in my view - or build out the pavement to allow pedestrians to bypass them.But that would cause a much bigger uproar because it would reduce parking capacity😱

Guy Lambert ● 27d

Thanks to the 'foresight' of earlier generations of house builders and estate developers across Chiswick, many of our streets have these now very 'mature' trees taking over and lifting the pavement. In Ealing, and from the picture, Hounslow seems to do the same, they periodically come along and re-contour the pavement surface with tarmac to remove cracks, but leave an awkward undulating surface to cover the large roots rather than digging them up, and an ever-narrowing gap for pedestrians to pass. Even if it were to be 'the sensible thing to do in the long term', I fear there'd be uproar if these trees were to be cut down and replaced with smaller new ones.  So building the pavement out around them and into the road (in place of a parking space?), might well be an answer in some locations.

Peter Evans ● 27d