AN OVERGROWN bush is a “danger to schoolchildren”, it has been claimed.

Councillors claim the giant shrub, near The Grenadier pub in Hangleton, stops children, plus residents with disabilities using mobility scooters, from seeing oncoming hazards approaching from the nearby roundabout and junction.

Hangleton and Knoll councillor Tony Janio expressed his concern and said: “There is quite a busy junction here with a lot of buses, delivery drivers, a taxi rank and people reversing out of driveways too.

“Disabled people using mobility scooters in this road are always saying to us that they can’t see over the bushes and that makes it really dangerous.”

Dawn Barnett, a councillor for Hangleton and Knoll, added: “There is a school nearby and, with children crossing the roads when they can’t look over the bush to see what is coming, there is a real danger.”

Cityparks workers are currently cutting the bushes regularly to keep them at a lower level.

Councillor Barnett said: “Every month, the cityparks workers do a wonderful job in cutting the bushes down.

“But it’s a waste of people’s time and it’s not attractive either. Therefore I think it should be cut down and covered over to eradicate any danger in future.”

Councillor Janio said: “It doesn’t take long for them to grow.

“You can see that even though they have just been cut, they are still high enough to cause problems.

“We need something that doesn’t need a lot of maintenance, but also doesn’t grow too high. That would make it a lot safer.”

As an alternative the councillors are suggesting that the area is covered in a material called “grasscrete”.

Councillor Janio said: “It’s a criss-cross concrete mesh and the grass grows through it, so it still looks nice while allowing the ground to drain.”

Councillor Barnett said: “I would also like a couple of seats to be added for the elderly to sit on.

“They come up here from the Knoll estate to do their shopping and they want a rest before they go back. I hope we can get those installed too.”

There has been some opposition to the plan, with some saying that the cost will be too great.

However, Councillor Barnett responded by saying: “They say we can’t afford it.

“But you can’t put a price on health and safety.

“It is also not fair on the elderly and disabled people using the road.

“It is absolutely crucial to make sure it is as safe as it possibly can be.”