Farming chiefs have reinforced warnings to Shropshire landowners to keep country lanes clear after a disabled cyclist was left stranded after a crash caused by hedge debris.
See also: Payout after hedge debris causes crash
Wheelchair user Andy Ebben, a health and safety consultant from Market Drayton, was cycling between Cheswardine and Adbaston when both tyres of his recumbent bicycle - where the cyclist is in a laid-back riding position - were punctured by hawthorn and blackthorn debris.
Mr Ebben, 55, was thrown onto the road, suffering severe cuts, bruises and grazes and his £2,500 bike was badly damaged.
As a result of the incident, which happened in November last year, Mr Ebben was awarded compensation to cover the damage to his bike.
The health and safety consultant said it was his determination to prevent similar accidents happening, however, that motivated him to take legal action.
Oliver Cartwright, National Farmers’ Union (NFU) spokesman, said landowners do receive advice to help avoid such incidents.
“The NFU would encourage farmers to clear up material from the road to help avoid unnecessary accidents and we often give advice to our members on such issues,” he said.
“Farmers look after and manage the countryside and when they do trim hedges they are acting responsibly to help avoid road accidents, by giving motorists clear lines of sight when driving, especially on country lanes and around sharp corners.”
11 Comments
Does this also go for children who very often kind it fun to pull bits of tree and hedge off and discard anywhere they please?
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as is the norm with farmers its never there fault , if i cut MY hedge and left it all over the road or pavement im sure some one would take me to task .farmers are good at covering the roads with mud etc and hedge clippings etc and just stick up a silly signs saying mud on road ??? whats that all about??were not blind, does it absolve them if there is an accident??? NO,
what about at night?? when a motorcyclist comes a cropper? on the mud the farmer has been to idle to clear up ? farmers are it appears ignorant to the laws of our land if they ignore them sue them, or fine them, enough is enough, same for the oiks who block public footpths again dopey farmer giles thinking he has the right.
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I have had many punctures, none of which have resulted in my being “thrown onto the road”. Is there more to this story ?
While I have the utmost respect for Mr. Ebben, as a safety consultant, shouldn’t he know that he should be riding with someone else, with a puncture repair kit, and with a cell phone ?
Living/cycling in the country has its price - a small piece of that price being sharp bits of hedge on the road sometimes.
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Mr Finch don’t forget that other road users can create mud and rubbish problems in the countryside like HGVs and in the wetter months you cannot help but get mud. What about slushy roads after it has snowed, is that cause by farmers? I don’t think so. The same problems occur in Urban areas and that cannot be blamed on ‘farmer giles’ - you oik.
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Well said Suzanne, Mr Finch obviously hasn’t got a clue, its because of people like him the farming community is fading out!
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oh dear havent got a clue??? you dont know how funny that is , excessive mud on the road as contractors leave the field by law should be dealt with, in many cases much of what we are talking about is caused by farmers stop ignoreing it or denying it, and they have a duty to clear it up, go to a building site entrance, it is ensured it is cleared up.snow and slush has nothing to do with it stop clouding the issue.
As for other issues foot and mouth was blamed on the small holder for its rapid spread by many farmers absolute rubbish it was spread through poor work practice by certain farmers and dealers, and who ended up picking up the tab?? the poor old tax payer.
Many farmers fail to keep footpaths clear, again many do ensure they are kept clear the ones that do not are ignorant to the laws as i have stated, and in my experiance many farmers are ignorant to the laws of the land from keeping high ways clear to health and safty issues they need to be educated its gone on to long.
I was brought up on a farm,and i worked on a large estate and still many of my uncles run numerous farms in wales and stafford good farming practice is always observed, sadly poor practice seemes to be an issue with many , farming is in a poor state mainly becouse many farms are not viable the tax payer should not be used to bail them out as with all of us who own our own business if it isnt viable call it a day even now some farmers are whinging becouse of the weather , well many industries are suffering but we dont here them asking for hand outs or whinging how hard there lives are.
As for havent got a clue well im sorry clearly more than the above posters.
some farms are dieing out becouse there not viable, wages are pathetic.conditions are poor, the farm labourer cottage is sold off by the farm owner or redevolped but farmer giles expects to pay the labourer the same low pay the free house made up for the low pay .And instead of upping the wage what does farmer giles do go and gets a few eastern europeans and pays them even less .
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one must expect debris in country lanes sometimes twigs branches etc blown about by strong gales etc, our farmers have a difficult time as it is and should be paid by local councils to hedge and ditch. remember the good old days when councils could afford to keep verges and hedges trimmed.
hands of our farmers, and drive carefully in rural lanes, common sense really
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Agree you can’r blame hedge debris on farmers. The balme sorely lies on the side of the bird population who are forever taking bits out of hedges to make nest - I myself have seen a Robin with no care for road users throwing hedge debris all over the road.
We should tax the bird population on this littering.
Lets all hold a demostration in Telford Park at 11am tomoz morning to protest.
be there or be square
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devon, nobody pays me to cut my hedge, same as nobody gives me a handout when my business is struggling…
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the council should do more cleansing and road sweping they spend so much on silly things like theatres and social ‘co-ordinators’ they should put more into the front line,
dont blame the farmers, the council has a legal duty to keep all highways free of litter / debris a cycle lane is a highway, so get of your backsides council cleaners or get on your bikes
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“I’m injured who can I sue?” Maybe accidents can just happen!(Real life can be like that).
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