Thousands of city's sick ash trees set to be felled

THOUSANDS of dangerous ash trees suffering from a deadly disease that pose a risk to public safety will be felled or made safe after Bristol city councillors agreed £2.8 million of urgent works.

- ADAM POSTANS Local Democracy Reporter

Between 3,000 and 4,000 council-owned trees in the latter stages of ash dieback, an unstoppable windblown fungus, have become brittle and could collapse at locations next to roads or properties across the city.

The public health and communities committee approved the funding over the next three years, comprising £930,000 to chop them down and £1.9m for replacement tree planting, which will eventually increase Bristol's overall tree canopy by 10 hectares.

But a political row broke out as the committee’s three Labour members refused to support the plans and abstained, while the other three parties voted in favour.

A report to the meeting said 10,000 trees owned by the local authority were in an advanced state of decline, with about a third of those identified as requiring the most urgent work to maintain public safety.