Tree pruning by electric company - should I let them?

[aesmith]

Hi,

 

I have a guy from SSE coming to see me on Saturday to discuss cutting back one of our trees to increase clearance from their 11kV line. I have no problem in principle, but was wondering whether I should let them go ahead, or arrange the work myself. Do these power distribution guys normally do a decent job, with the work done by a proper tree surgeon or at least by someone who considers the affect on the tree?

 

Also, looking at it from another angle, how close to 11kV lines would an independent arborist be happy working?

 

I just wanted to get a bit of an opinion so I know how to play it when the guy comes round.

 

Thanks, Tony S

[aesmith]

Will take some pictures. Here's the "before" (only kidding) ..

 

[openspaceman]

Really, my understanding was that it is the land owners responsibility not to allow their vegetation to encroach on the dno's network. Though in reality the power line company's maintain the clearance of the trees free of charge. I may well be incorrect but thought that is how it is.

 

Electricity act 1989 shedule 4

 

9

(2)The licence holder may give notice to the occupier of the land requiring him to fell or lop the tree or cut back its roots so as to prevent it from having the effect mentioned in sub-paragraph (1)(a) or (b) above, subject to the payment to him by the licence holder of the expenses reasonably incurred by him in complying with the notice.

[paulcumberland]

be careful, we bought some land and within weeks the power company turn up unannounced and trimmed back the trees by the power lines, the big problem they climb the trees with spikes, most likely for speed, but not good practice to look after trees, however we had plans to replace them and luckily we know have planning permission to preceded to remove them.

[openspaceman]

be careful, we bought some land and within weeks the power company turn up unannounced and trimmed back the trees by the power lines, the big problem they climb the trees with spikes, most likely for speed, but not good practice to look after trees, however we had plans to replace them and luckily we know have planning permission to preceded to remove them.

 

As I have observed here before UA types are born with the congenital deformity of a spike growing out of their ankles.

[Eddy_t]

We don't spike unless the tree is coming out, in fact part of WPD's audits is spiking retained trees

 

 

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[agg221]

An aside, but this seems like an appropriate thread:

 

We have bought the field next to us, which adjoins roads on two sides and has lines running along the edge (I think they are phone lines as they are only single line - I will be checking this before doing anything)

 

I want to hedge it properly but would ideally leave some standards in along the length. Is there anything fundamentally stopping me from doing this, particularly if they are phone lines - the thinking is to run them up high enough to the crown that there are no side branches until clear above the lines.

 

Alec

[CJM]

You can do what ever you want under phone lines.

Bt doesn't clear them by doesn't care, if a tree brings one down they'll string it back up probably through the tree again

[Eddy_t]

It may be bt wires, it may be abc line, if it's abc try to make sure the trees don't grow within 2m, and once it's big enough, crown lift it so nobody but an arb could access it. If it's bt, plant the tree and don't worry

 

 

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[openspaceman]

We don't spike unless the tree is coming out, in fact part of WPD's audits is spiking retained trees

 

 

Sorry Eddy I didn't mean to cast aspersions about those arborists who care as opposed to the loppers I deal with.

 

I was going to post a picture from a tree report I did after a subcontract gang had raced through a car park but then realised the line manager had deleted the jpegs.

 

In fact the damage is more aesthetically annoying than damaging as it takes place in live wood which can heal. Still poor practice because of the disfiguring.

[Eddy_t]

Sorry Eddy I didn't mean to cast aspersions about those arborists who care as opposed to the loppers I deal with.

 

I was going to post a picture from a tree report I did after a subcontract gang had raced through a car park but then realised the line manager had deleted the jpegs.

 

In fact the damage is more aesthetically annoying than damaging as it takes place in live wood which can heal. Still poor practice because of the disfiguring.

 

 

No worries, there are some terrible line cutters out there, but it's high pressure to gain clearance, I don't know about other companies, but our span rates are truly shocking!

 

 

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