The controversial felling of trees in Sheffield has been put on hold for a second time following a rise in 'dangerous tactics' by protesters. The works were halted for the first time for 4 weeks after a disturbance between protesters and security staff on Meersbrook Park Road on January 22.
So far, Sheffield, dubbed as 'Sheffield's Greenest City', has lost 5,000 trees which have been deemed to be, "dangerous, dying, diseased, dead, damaging or discriminatory” (meaning that they damage pavements and potentially obstruct disabled residents).
A freedom of information request has revealed that the council’s 25-year private finance initiative (PFI) deal with the contractor Amey specifies that as many as 17,500 trees – half of the city’s 36,000 trees – could be felled as part of the work to maintain the city’s roads and pavements.
A spokesman for the council and Amey said : “Since 2012 we have been carrying out the biggest investment Sheffield’s highway network has ever seen, resurfacing the majority of roads and pavements across the city.
They go on to say that because of the protesters entering safety zones where the work is being carried out has meant that it has become more and more dificult for Amey to complete the work.
Environment Secretary Michael Gove has accused Sheffield City Council of "environmental vandalism" and promised to do "anything required" to end its controversial tree-felling programme.
Gove gave an interview to the BBC in which he said the council had been “strong-armed and draconian” with citizens who had tried to protest, and called on the Labour leadership to intervene.
A vicar and a woman with a broken arm have been the most recent protesters to be arrested for protesting against the felling. They are amongst a number of protesters which also included a woman who blew her toy trumpet at a police officer.
Chris Rust, of Sheffield Tree Action Groups, has said he hopes the council and Amey take up his offer of a sit down and talk. He goes on to say that he believed there was more to this story than has been revealed.
Arborists are felling and replacing trees deemed dangerous, dead, diseased, dying or which are said to be damaging streets and pavements but objectors to the scheme have staged a number of protests across the city. Trees earmarked for felling are fenced or cordoned off and a court injunction is in place making it illegal for protesters to enter the safety zones. But a number of cordons have been breached, leading to a number of arrests.
