Public Meeting calls for action to save Addison & Highdown rail trees (October 2006)

By Vince Meegan

A public meeting at the Grace Eyre Foundation in Avondale Road has called for an independent review of trees which Network Rail planned to remove in the rail corridor between Addison Road and Highdown Road. This was supported by all ward councillors and Hove's MP Celia Barlow.

A delegation will be at the next Council meeting as well to gain support for the battle with Network Rail.

Residents were angry at Network Rail's intention to remove all trees and vegetation in the cutting which divides the two roads. The trees provide an environmental barrier between residential homes and the rail line, including privacy and noise protection.

Some trees infected with Dutch Elm Disease were removed last winter but now Network Rail wants to go further. While residents accept the fact that the disease needs to be controlled to protect the City's 15,000 elms they are rightly concerned that this should be followed by the removal of other healthy trees this winter.

Before the meeting I met with the Council's tree expert Alister Peters onsite to see the issues for myself, and spoke with a number of residents in the two roads.

Brighton and Hove City Council is facilitating a meeting between residents and Network Rail in November. We are calling for an independent risk assessment of the site to see if further tree removal can be avoided.

The meeting was attended by over 60 local residents, showing how the issue has affected the whole local community, including ward councillors myself and Cllr Battle together with Melanie Davis.

The photos above and below show the cutting and the attractive green corridor, from them you can see what a loss they would be.

Back to News Index