Hull City Council has reassured residents and businesses in Hessle Road that 12 new trees will be planted to replace six that need to be removed because of pavement damage.
The ongoing upgrade works in the west Hull thoroughfare have identified six trees that have outgrown their tree pits, causing their roots to damage the footpaths.
In line with the council’s policy that all trees removed are replaced on a two-for-one basis, 12 new semi-mature trees will be planted along the road, in place of the six removed and using six other redundant tree pits.
Councillor Daren Hale, St Andrew’s and Docklands ward councillor and leader of Hull City Council, said: “Sometimes, owing to pavement damage and trip hazards, we have no choice but to remove some trees.
“However, residents can be reassured that these six trees will replaced with twice as many, and we will also be planting another four in Coltman Street.”
Two trees will be removed this week (Thursday 27 and Friday 28 January), near Saint Andrew’s Retail Park and at the junction with Dee Street. Four more will be removed over the course of the year.
Each new tree will be planted on completion of the paving works, with the first two trees set to be replaced within the next couple of months.
Hull was last year named a Tree City of the World – one of only 120 across the globe – for its continued efforts to grow and maintain green spaces.
Councillor Dean Kirk, the council’s portfolio holder for the development of footpaths and cycleways, said: “While removing mature trees is always a last resort, by planting twice as many trees as we remove, we are once again demonstrating why Hull has been recognised as a Tree City of the World,
“As well as improving the landscape and creating an attractive place to live and work, trees offer a multitude of environmental benefits, such as providing habitat for wildlife and removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, which is a key part of our Hull 2030 Carbon Neutral Strategy.
“In Hessle Road, as in many other areas of the city, we are creating a space that residents and businesses can be proud of.”
Work on the Hessle Road footpath improvement scheme began in August last year and is due to be completed by September.