Concerns have been raised regarding council inaction over “dangerous” trees leaning over a main road.

Ystwyth Councillor Meirion Davies and prospective Llanfarian councillor Geraint Hughes said they “are banging their heads against a brick wall” regarding the ongoing issue of road maintenance and safety on the A485 and B4575.

Cllr Davies first contacted Ceredigion County Council about the issue in summer 2020, who then confirmed they would be clearing up the roads in time for the Eisteddfod in Tregaron - which was cancelled due to the pandemic. This work was never completed and Cllr Davies said the issue is raised in Llanilar Community Council every month.

“I acknowledge with the pandemic, workers have been seconded to other work and stuff, but it’s time to get on and get these jobs done now,” Cllr Davies said.

The pair said their concerns were about trees leaning over the road, “like an umbrella”, and posing a risk to vehicles driving through, but also the debris that has not been cleared from the side of the road.

Geraint explained: “The council either need to enforce against landowners to get them to do it, or alternatively undertake the work themselves and charge the landowners.

“Without stealing Meirion’s thunder, it’s a very good point what he was saying, they need to attend to maintaining the actual highways, the standing water running down this stretch of Abermad, the encroachment of, as Meirion said, debris, the fallen branches and what have you, making the road narrower.

“As we just witnessed now, this forces larger vehicles to go on the wrong side of the carriageway on a blind bend. We just witnessed one lorry hitting one of the overhanging branches.

“Furthermore standing water, the risk over winter, freezing, causing danger to motorists, and its also having an adverse effect on agricultural land and property adjoining the highway.”

Cllr Davies added: “There’s one farmer, the Evans family, adjoining the Abermad, and they’ve volunteered to hire a contractor to do it themselves. It is a big issue on the A485 from Llanfarian all the way to Rhos-y-garth, it’s really dangerous. From Penparcau to Llanafan there have been huge issue with those trees for years, they keep falling down all the time.”

A spokesperson for Ceredigion County Council said this would be landowners responsibility, adding they would carry out inspections upon receiving reports of overhanging trees: “If trees or vegetation are found to be a health and safety risk and/or obstructing the highway, Ceredigion County Council can issue an enforcement notice on the landowner requiring them to carry out any necessary works within a specified time period. After this time the Council may carry out the work and reclaim the full costs incurred from the landowner.

“Investigation into land ownership can be a difficult and time consuming process, and we would welcome any support that stakeholders can provide in identifying landowners.”