TRAFFIC on a major road could be disrupted for almost a week as the city council cuts down diseased trees.

Traffic lights will be in place on Coldean Lane, Brighton for up to five days from today as work begins to remove around 50 elm trees.

One lane will be closed so the trees near the Homes for Brighton and Hove low cost housing development can be removed safely.

Many of the trees are dying of the fungal infection called Elm Disease, meaning they must be cut down before it spread to neighbouring trees.

The infection was found during a visit to the site by the council’s arboriculture team.

A council spokesman described it as a “huge loss to the city’s National Elm Collection”.

The tree-felling will be carried out to Natural England guidelines, with a qualified ecologist on site to supervise the work and minimise any disturbance to wildlife.

Speaking before the closure, Councillor Amy Heley, chair of the Environment, Transport & Sustainability committee, said: “This is devastating news, and we are very sorry about the further loss of trees in a woodland so recently affected by Ash Dieback.

“It’s very important to remove these infected elms as quickly as possible to protect the other elms in the area as much as possible.

“It’s some consolation that 200 new trees, including 40 elms, will be planted as part of the development of new low cost housing on the site.

“The control of Elm Disease is an ongoing tree management issue in the city.”

The Council added that the woodland along Coldean Lane is an ongoing “management issue” and that more trees will need felling in the area over the next year. 

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