A PETITION is being raised to cut back an overgrown traffic island over fears someone could be killed.

Ledbury residents living close to the overgrown traffic island by the Lower Road junction are starting a petition.

They fear someone seriously hurt or killed, crossing the bypass as the long grass and tall bushes and trees make it very hard to see even lorries coming round the island.

Dog walkers and other residents cross there regularly from Lower Road, to get to the signposted Riverside Walk beauty spot and picnic area on the other side of the bypass.

Margaret Johnson, who has just started raising a petition to send to Herefordshire Council, calling for action, said: "It's an accident waiting to happen. An old man was knocked off his bike there, earlier this year, and taken to hospital with bruising. That was not a major accident, but it's going to happen.

"We are not happy. It is not safe because we cannot see to cross the road. Local feeling is very strong. It is one of four roundabouts on the bypass and it's the one most neglected, right in the middle, and the council does not seem to care. I am up for a fight, and so are many of the locals."

Mrs Johnson pointed out that there are signs pointing to Riverside Walk and the picnic area, "encouraging people to make use of them", while the state of the island is a potential hazard to people crossing the bypass.

A Herefordshire Council spokesman said the grass on the bypass had been cut as recently as May - a claim which Mrs Johnson dismissed as "a load of rubbish".

The responsibly of cutting the island is down to the council's contractor, Balfour Beatty, under the guidance of its own locality stewards, who can flag up problems as they arise.

The Herefordshire Council spokesman added: "Due to recent weather conditions we are experiencing very fast growth of the grass and our locality stewards are currently out across the network to identify visibility problems and potential accident spots that may need to be re-cut.

"A locality steward has just reviewed the roundabout and has subsequently raised a job on the system for the grass to be re-cut."

But no date has been given as to when this cut will take place.

Herefordshire Council said if residents have further concerns, they can report it online at:

https://www.herefordshire.gov.uk/environmental-protection/parks-and-open-spaces/grounds-and-tree-maintenance/cg-report-verge-needs-cutting