Action to get rid of weeds

WORK has begun to control a weed invading the Garw Valley.

Japanese Knotweed growing along the Garw Valley Community Route between Oakdale Crossing (Llangeinor) and Pandy Bridge has been cut down.

The Bridgend Valleys Railway Company (BVRC) are practising training to use a number of methods to control knotweed and other invasive vegetation.

The company said the cut plant material has been left on site and that as little as possible has been left on the pathway.

As the plants stand 10-12ft high and are within 10m of the river, spraying is both impractical and any drift is potentially dangerous to the river and other vegetation, the company said.

Andrew Bowdler, director of BVRC, said: “The law concerning knotweed control requires that everything is left on site, so once it has dried out sufficiently it will be burned.

“It is expected that the plants will regrow, but when they reach 1-1.5m in height, they will be sprayed, which is a very effective form of control.”

The work is the start of a long programme of control of knotweed and other vegetation along the route which will last for a number of years.

The public will be informed of any control activity – spraying or burning – by means of signage on the path at the time, and beforehand.

The public are asked not to take any of the material off-site as it can very easily sprout – even a bit of leaf is sufficient – and spread.