Council anger over felled trees
THE Chairman of Prestbury Parish Council has hit out at Network Rail for cutting down trees below the bridge at Prestbury railway station and leaving the area ‘like a battle site’.
Coun Arthur Dicken said taking away the trees from the area, on Butley Lanes, has also exposed damage the fence which protects those walking there from a 20ft drop down onto the railway track.
He said: “Now they have chopped the trees down it looks like a First World War battle site with abandoned shells.
“It was a very attractive area before and now there are just bundles of trees lying all over the embankment.
“Taking away the trees has also left a hole in the fence. I spoke to someone from Network Rail who accepted the risk of someone walking through the hole in the fence and falling onto the track.
“The person I spoke to said they would fix it but that was a week ago. I’ve heard nothing since.”
He added: “The Parish Council has two issues with what they have done – firstly, they have made a terrible mess close to a conservation area and secondly, they have caused a safety hazard.”
A spokesperson from Network Rail acknowledged that the fence had been damaged but said the tree work had been necessary.
They said: “We removed trees at Prestbury station at the start of April. Vegetation management is an essential part of railway maintenance and this work is crucial to keeping both trains and passengers safe on the network. The work has exposed damage to the fence, which was reported to Network Rail last week and will be fixed as a matter of priority.”