BUT COUNCIL CRITICISED FOR 'LAZY APPROACH' WITH PLANS

THERE are plans to chop down huge trees on a busy Plymouth road so crossings can be put in at an accident blackspot near the £21m Foulston Park development.

- By WILLIAM TELFORD

Plymouth City Council has earmarked four mature trees for removal on Kings Road where it plans to install two “humped” zebra crossings near City College Plymouth and the site of Plymouth Argyle’s new development for its academy and women’s team.

The council also aims to put speed humps along the road which has seen two fatal collisions and three other “serious” crashes in the past five years.

The plans, currently under construction, have been criticised by protest group Save the Trees of Armada Way (Straw) which has questioned whether tree removal is necessary to make the road safer and said the trees are healthy and could live for years yet.

The council said the crossings are part of the agreed planning conditions for Foulston Park and said: “The focus is now on making sure routes to and from the park are as safe as they can be.

“As part of the planning conditions, a number of highway improvements have to be carried out before the site can become operational.”

But it stressed: “Installing new crossings will unfortunately involve removing four trees - three common limes near the entrance of City College Plymouth and a London Plane on the corner of King’s Road and Stonehouse Bridge.”