Broadband utilities, trees, hedges.

[88V8]

This may be a bit off-beat here, but....

Currently our village is being cabled or is that fibred, by Gigaclear for superfast broadband.
Unsurprisingly they are laying their cables where it's easiest, and have started trenching right alongside field boundaries, cutting through hedge and tree roots.

There are utilities work practices that are supposed to protect trees - NJUG Guidelines - but although detailed they are recommendations and do not have the force of law.
As regards hedges, there are some protections for specific hedges but as far as I can see, nothing that relates to root damage.

Gigaclear are contractors to Fastershire, part of a Govt broadband programme started by Ed Vazey. I have a sneaking suspicion that the welfare of
vegetation might not have been on his agenda.
Cutting tree roots will weaken or kill the tree.

Any experience in fending off this sort of utilities damage? Looked on the Garden Law website, nothing there.

I have a meeting with a City Councillor and the chair of our PC tomorrow, any thoughts will be welcome.

V8

[supremetwo]

Roots generally spread 360 degrees and a narrow trench on one side is unlikely to cause sufficient damage to kill a tree or a hedge.

Also, roots that are cut adjacent to a trench will regrow at the cut point.

[88V8]

Roots generally spread 360 degrees and a narrow trench on one side is unlikely to cause sufficient damage to kill a tree or a hedge. Also, roots that are cut adjacent to a trench will regrow at the cut point.

Anchor roots do not regrow. Cutting them will leave zero stability against a storm from that direction.

If you are interested, Newcastle produced a good paper on the subject.
https://www.newcastle.gov.uk/sites/defa ... 7_2_13.pdf

The problem is, as I mentioned, it's all advisory unless the employer makes it compulsory.
Which costs.
Our Council has spent six figures on legal action to try and hide the details of an incinerator contract, so of course they have no budget for something as trivial as trees.

V8