Council reveals snags in dealing with ragwort in Wharfedale (From Wharfedale Observer)

Council reveals snags in dealing with ragwort in Wharfedale

1:50pm Saturday 22nd September 2007 in Local news By Amanda Greaves

REMOVING harmful weed ragwort from roadsides though Wharfedale is proving enormously expensive' and difficult to tackle, says a Bradford Council boss.

Strategic Director for Environment and Neighbourhoods, Richard Wixey, says council workers are not permitted to use the most powerful weedkillers, and have to spend hundreds of pounds on traffic cones each time they attempt to tackle the weed growing by the busy A65.

Bradford came in for criticism once again this summer, when concerned Wharfedale people spotted masses of ragwort again growing on council-managed roadsides in the valley.

Ragwort, officially classed by the Government as an injurious weed', can be fatal to horses and other livestock if they graze on it. There are is also growing concern about the potential health risks to humans, particularly unsuspecting gardeners and children who may ingest toxins from the plant if it spreads to domestic gardens Addingham Parish Council has quizzed Mr Wixey about efforts being made by him his department to tackle ragwort on the Addingham Bypass.

He told the parish council meeting on Wednesday (September 19): "We have the problem with the fast road that we'd have to cone it. It's £500 just for the cones, it's enormously expensive."

Mr Wixey told parish councillors the council is also required to use a type of weedkiller which only affects plants on the surface of the ground, and does not go deeper into the soil to kill the roots and seeds of ragwort.

He assured then, however, that his department are working on the ragwort problem.