Hundreds of dead and diseased trees to be removed from TT course

Safety concerns were first raised about the trees lining the TT course in 2021

Hundreds of dead and diseased trees lining a section of the Isle of Man TT course are set to be felled.

A six-week project to remove the trees between in the Glen Helen area between Laurel Bank and Sarah's Cottage will begin on Wednesday.

A government spokesman said many of the ash, elm and larch trees posed "an immediate risk to road users".

New trees would be planted in the 0.75 mile (1.2km) corridor over the next two years, he added.

Temporary traffic lights and diversions will be put in place during the felling works, which will take place in two phases between 8 and 31 March and 2 and 23 May.

The ash, elm and larch trees will be removed due to safety concerns

Safety concerns were first identified in in the area in a Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture (DEFA) survey in 2021.

A year later, tree experts confirmed a "significant decline in many trees and an unacceptable level of potential failure near the roadside" on the government-owned land.

DEFA Minister Clare Barber said their removal from a 0.75 mile (1.2km) corridor would create a "noticeable" and "unavoidable" change to the landscape.

However, the department had a "duty" to address the risk of trees falling down, which had "the potential to cause significant damage or worse", she said.

"All trees will be fully inspected for wildlife, such as bats, before removal," she added.

A DEFA spokesman said the replanting would be "carefully" considered to suit to the location and would include species "less susceptible to known plant diseases".