CUTTING hedges or painting roadside walls could land islanders in court. With the September hedge-cutting period looming, the Environment Department is threatening a crackdown on roadside work.

Under roadworks coordination legislation, permission is now needed not only to put scaffolding or skips in the road, but also for any hedge cutting, painting or building work that slows or delays traffic.

The powers have already been used to move workmen on, most recently on Monday when traffic in the Grange was brought to a virtual standstill by a contractor carrying out painting work from the road without permission.

The department asked police to visit the site and work was stopped immediately.

It will now be done next month when a one-way system is in operation in the road.

‘With a little bit of planning and coordination it should help to reduce those frustrating tailbacks that are caused by these ad hoc works,’ said an Environment spokesman.

Many homeowners were unaware, the spokesman said, that they needed permission to obstruct a road, whatever the nature of the work.

‘Over recent years the department and its predecessor has received a large number of complaints about works that, while relatively minor in nature, obstructed the public highway,’ he said, ‘particularly when they were carried out on major routes during peak times or when they were being used as a diversion route.’

Under roadworks coordination legislation introduced in December, the Environment Department has responsibility for approving or rejecting applications.

Previously, it had no legal means of controlling these obstructions. Information can now be added to the Island Roadworks Information System [Iris] to minimise disruption.

An application for minor works would normally be required at least two days in advance but people were asked to give as much notice as possible.

Conditions might be imposed, such as not carrying out the work during peak traffic times.

‘They also need to know if any signage is required, both to ensure their own safety and that of motorists or other road users.’

With thousands of islanders about to cut their roadside hedges, St Peter Port senior constable Richard Barneby said that common sense needed to be applied.

‘If you are cutting your hedge in a dangerous area, for your own safety it’s better to get permission to put obstructions out,’ he said.

‘It’s better to have had the necessary permission when somebody runs into a person and claims off the property owner.’

St Peter’s senior constable, Tim Langlois, understood that the correct procedure needed to be highlighted but agreed that common sense should be applied.

‘Personally, I prefer seeing people using warning signs, particularly for example when using petrol strimmers when they might not be able to hear traffic,’ he said.

He said that most complaints were about failure to cut hedges or pick up cuttings, and not obstructing the road.

* The douzaines and constables gave notice on Tuesday that hedge trimming must be completed by the end of September with no grace period. Failure to comply could result in a fine up to £200.