To ask the Minister for Infrastructure (i) what action his Department will take to require private owners of hedging along the section of the A20 Portaferry Road between Teal Rocks and the Flood Gates to cut back hedges from the Department for Infrastructure-owned footpath; and (ii) whether his Department will take legal action against those private owners of hedging to force footpaths to be cleared to the legal minimum.

My Department carries out regular routine maintenance inspections on all roads. Inspectors will note trees and hedges, within or immediately adjacent to the road boundaries, which are causing an obstruction, obscuring road signs, or have the potential to create danger for the road user. In those instances where overgrown hedges are identified as causing a danger, officials will contact the landowner requesting their co-operation in having the necessary work undertaken. If the landowner fails to respond, the Department can instigate legal action to have the danger presented by the overgrown hedges addressed, although this action is not usually required.

The Department seeks to work with landowners to proactively manage safety issues in this way, including by placing notices in the local press and in farming journals reminding landowners of their responsibility regarding hedges and the need to carry out maintenance during the early part of the year, avoiding where possible the bird nesting season from 1 March to 31 August.

My Department is not aware of any current issues with overgrown hedges on the Portaferry Road, although it is acknowledged that the footway is narrow and it takes very little growth before hedges start to encroach onto the footway. The area will be kept under review and contact will be made with landowners as required.