Coldean Lane in Brighton shuts today for six days

Brighton and Hove City Council is shutting Coldean Lane for six days – starting today – so it can carry out "essential work" on trees facing onto the road.

Fungal infection ash dieback has taken hold in many of the trees and they must be removed "before they fall down".

If left alone, they could cause serious damage to people and property, the council warned.

Previous tree cutting in Coldean

The first section is from Park Road to the junction of Forest Road and will take place from Tuesday to Thursday.

The second section is just north of Forest Road junction to Hawkhurst Road and will take place from Friday to Sunday.

"We realise there’s never a good time to close a busy road like this, but it was agreed between the council’s tree experts, our transport team, the bus company and the contractor that half term would cause the least disruption," a spokesman said.

Previous tree cutting in Coldean

"We've posted letters to what we believe is every household on the Coldean estate explaining the situation, including ways of how people can contact us and the bus company for further information."

About 20 per cent of all woodland trees owned by the city council are ash, and so, they will be cut down to protect wildlife and people in a situation "never" been faced before.

The city council is also seeing a rise in Elm disease amongst trees, but they say this can be contained, unlike the "devastating" ash dieback.

The council has responded to a series of frequently asked questions.

Why is this work being carried out?

Many of the trees that face onto Coldean Lane are dying of ash dieback disease and must be removed for safety reasons, and before they fall down.

Why are you doing the work during the school holidays? Would it not have been better another time?

There’s never a good time to carry out this type of work as disruption will always be caused. However, the bus company and the council discussed the best time to carry out the works and it was agreed to avoid the school term due to children getting to school by bus, car or walking.

Less disruption will take place during school holidays rather than term time.

There will be vehicle and bus route diversions in place and only local residents of Coldean will have access to the estate. All other traffic will be re-routed onto the A27.

Why are you doing the work during nesting season? Why can’t it wait?

Ash dieback is spreading through the city, and the trees at Coldean Woods are badly affected by the disease. The risk of the trees collapsing onto the road and the damage and injury that could be caused must outweigh all other issues and concerns.

We are also working closely on-site with expert ecologists to minimise any potential disturbance to protected species like nesting birds and bats.

We only ever remove birds or nests from trees if the trees are endangering people’s lives and or property.

Who is deciding what trees are removed and will the contractor be monitored?

As with the removal of any tree in the city, the decision is taken by our arboriculture team who, along with our contractors, are all tree experts and joined the profession due to their love of and passion for trees and nature.

They don’t and won’t remove a tree or trees unless this work needs done.

Why can’t I park on Coldean Lane, the kerb or verges during the work?

Many of the trees that face onto Coldean Lane are dying of ash dieback disease and must be removed for safety reasons, and before they fall down.

Any cars parked on the road, kerb or verges could be badly damaged by falling trees, branches or wood splinters.

If someone lives on Coldean Lane and normally parks their car on the driveway, why can’t they drive or move their car during the tree work?

To carry out the work, we will have to temporarily close two sections of Coldean Lane, approximately three days each (six days in total), starting from Tuesday 1 June and ending by Sunday 6 June.

The first section (phase 2a) is from Park Road to the junction of Forest Road (from Tuesday 1 June to Thursday 3 June). The second section (Phase 2b) is just north of Forest Road junction to Hawkhurst Road (Friday 4 June ending by Sunday 6 June).

If a car is parked on a driveway when the work on that section of the road begins, people won’t be able to move their vehicle as the road will be closed.

Also, any cars parked on the road, kerb or verges could be badly damaged by falling trees, branches or wood splinters.

What happens if someone living on Coldean Lane has a disability / mobility problem and needs their car. If they park their car somewhere else, how will they be able to get to and from their home?

We, the council and bus company, realise this will be extremely inconvenient for residents.

However, the risk of the trees collapsing onto the road and the damage and injury that could be caused must outweigh all other issues.

We will have staff in place at all times to ensure your safety and that of other residents, and these staff will also be available to help residents with mobility issues.

If you need any extra support during the work, please contact us on cityparks@brighton-hove.gov.uk or call 01273 294349 during office hours.

What happens if you live on Coldean Lane and have an electric car. How would the person charge it?

If someone normally charges their car at home and needs to use it every day, we’d suggest – for the three days that section of the road will be closed – that they charge their car fully before the work begins and park it somewhere close to their home, but not on Coldean Lane.

If the person normally charges it at a charging point, then it shouldn’t be a problem as long as they don’t park it outside their home when their section of the work is taking place.

Like everyone else, if the person doesn’t need to use their car during the work, they can park on their driveway until the work is completed. If they need to use it during the work, they will need to park it elsewhere and walk to and from their car to their home.

Why won’t I be able to park my car on Rushlake Road during the work? What happens if I park there anyway?

To ensure the road is kept clear for buses (and fire and ambulance services), all vehicle vehicle parking will be coned off and suspended on the west side of Rushlake Road from Park Road to Forest Road.

The bus service, and of course emergency services, are vital for people, so this will be strictly monitored. Any parked vehicles will be reported to the police.

How can I find out about the bus service?

Please see the bus company website www.buses.co.uk for more information or call 01272 886200.

Why are trees being left on the site rather than removed?

Tree tops will be left on site mostly as a means to feed nutrients back into the cycle within woodland settings and to avoid suppressing ground flora with layers of wood chip. Although this will often result in untidy looking sites, there are benefits in the longer term.

This is going to create a real mess. Will the wood’s trees ever grow back?

Many people remember the powerful storm that swept through many parts of the UK in October 1987. With winds gusting at up to 100mph, there was massive devastation across the country and around 15 million trees were blown down. Regeneration did happen after this and the trees grew back.

Although the tree removal is upsetting for many, we will use the opportunity to develop the wood with a wider range of species and habitat and involve the local Coldean community in its regeneration.

Who is going to decide what is replanted in the woods?

The council will work with the community to decide how Coldean Woods will be developed in the future.

Although the tree removal is upsetting for many, we will use the opportunity to develop the wood with a wider range of species and habitat and involve the local Coldean community in its regeneration.