Opposition Says Hounslow Council Failing To Get a Grip on Weeds
Claims environmentally friendly ways to tackle problem are available
Cllr Thompson on his road and an example of weeds elsewhere in Chiswick
The Conservative opposition on Hounslow Council is calling for new methods to be considered to deal with the problems of weeds within the borough.
They have proliferated on verges and roadsides since the use of glysophates was abandoned due to concerns about the impact on the environment with growing evidence they are harmful to bees.
Instead of using herbicide chemical sprays, Hounslow Highways and Lampton Community Services which handles street maintenance in the borough, have been relying on manual removal of weeds wherever possible.
They only consider using chemical herbicides to treat highly invasive species such as Japanese Knotweed and Giant Hogweed.
However, it has proven to be impossible to keep up with the rapid growth of weeds in the borough with warmer weather making them grow even faster. Cllr Peter Thompson, Leader of Hounslow Conservative Group believes that there has been a failure to consider other, environmentally friendly, ways to suppress growth.
He said, “Travelling around London and other parts of the country in recent weeks it is obvious to me that we need to explore new ways to tackle our weed problem. Unlike in other local councils the weeds are taking over here. Weeds detract from the appearance of an area and collect litter. They interfere with visibility for road users and obscure traffic signs. Weeds in road channels and gullies can prevent or slow down drainage. Their growth in footways may cause uneven slabs and broken tarmac. Weed growth can also destroy paving surfaces, force apart kerbs and crack walls, so increasing maintenance costs.
“We need to explore the use of environmentally friendly and effective herbicides and new approaches such as Foamstream which is being trailed by Surrey County Council. It kills unwanted vegetation by using a combination of hot water insulated and a specially formulated biodegradable and organic foam.
“We are all for greening our borough but not like this.”
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August 2, 2022