A RESIDENT voiced her relief after trees in Timperley causing "an accident waiting to happen" were pruned six weeks after she informed the council.

Heather Turner complained to Trafford Council on June 8 but they only attended to the trees on the lime trees lining Moss Lane on Friday.

She explained they day before they were pruned that a lack of council action meant exiting Green Walk onto a busy road was “an accident black spot” and “unsafe for pedestrians and motorists”.

After the trees were dealt with, Mrs Turner said: “I am relieved that the lime trees have been pruned.

“The sight lines along Moss Lane are so much better now and the work has improved the safety at the junction. It should not have taken nearly six weeks to resolve the problem however.”

A Liberal Democrat councillor for Timperley Minna Minnis, who also contacted the council several times about the issue, says she is aware of other cases like it, and claims it is a direct impact of austerity.

Cllr Minnis said: “It’s the case of Tory cuts on local government because they aren’t being given the funding they require to run their services properly.

“That and the fact we’ve got the services being sold to the lowest bidder means we end up with trees not being maintained and then it’s an accident waiting to happen.”

A spokesman for Trafford Council said: “The tree pruning on Moss Lane, Timperley, near Green Walk, has now been completed by a contractor employed by the Council’s tree unit department.

“Following concerns from a resident and local councillor, the lime trees on Moss Lane were inspected and identified as causing sight line issues but they were not deemed as being dangerous. In view of this, the Council’s contractor highlighted them for early attention.

“The Council undertakes the annual removal of low growth from 3,500 highway lime trees spread throughout the borough. This process starts in early July and is completed towards the end of August of each year.”

Meanwhile residents of Lichfield Avenue say they are all very grateful to the retired gentleman from Ash Lane who has severely pruned overgrowing bushes and trees alongside the wooded area next to Lichfield Avenue alongside Ash Lane.

Resident, Stuart Leatherbarrow, of Lichfield Avenue, said: "The bushes and hedges have been long overgrowing to the point that they have been taking over the pavement area and bus stop causing pedestrians to almost have to walk in the roadway in places, which is always very dangerous.

"It is clearly a case of the council not responding to requests for pruning over the years and when they did they merely mildly tidied up the bushes and have never done enough."

He added: "I wish for the persons involved to be aware of the gratefulness of the local residents and give them a mention, I trust these slightly anonymous workers will know who they are. Many thanks on behalf of the neighbourhood for their community spirit."