The first of 25 trees along Embankment Road has been felled as part of Plymouth City Council’s new safety measures aimed at improving road safety. These measures also include reducing the speed limit from 40mph to 30mph.

Motorists heading out of the city on Tuesday, February 18, were met with slow-moving traffic along the A374, from Hele Terrace to the Plymouth Rowing Club, due to the closure of one lane. The closure, which extends from Glendinning depot to the rowing club, is part of the tree felling process and is expected to continue for much of the week.

As part of its safety assessment, Plymouth City Council has decided to extend the existing 30mph speed limit along the western section of Embankment Road by about 800 meters on both sides. This extension will cover the area from the current limit, northeast of Stanley Place, to a point northeast of the rowing club.

The 30mph limit, already in place on parts of this main route through Plymouth, will be extended by 1,600 meters following a fatal crash on the road in 2023. During the inquest into the young man's death, the coroner raised concerns about the trees lining the road, which were described as "dangerous" in the evidence presented.

Witnesses at the inquest, including a forensic collision investigator, a road safety engineer, and a motor police officer, all agreed that the placement of the trees contributed to the collision.

In response, the coroner sent a Prevention of Future Deaths report to Plymouth City Council, urging improvements for the safety of pedestrians and other road users. The council acknowledged the recommendations and stated that they could not be ignored. The assessment also found that the trees were located too close to the road, and their growth had significantly narrowed the footpath.

The council explained that widening the footpath or adding a safety barrier between the trees and the road was not feasible, so they decided to remove the 25 trees. The work is taking place during the half-term holiday, when there are fewer vehicles on the road, minimizing disruption.

While the removal of these trees is necessary for safety, the council has pledged to replace them by planting new trees in locations further away from the road.