Night road closures for 'emergency tree removal'

More closures are planned along a busy stretch of road in Derbyshire to allow workers to carry out "emergency" tree removals.

Derbyshire County Council said many of the trees along the A5012 Via Gellia Road, between Cromford and Newhaven, were suffering from ash dieback and posed a threat to road users.

Closures will be in place on the A5012 from Grangemill to Newhaven from 22:00 GMT to 05:00 on Sunday and Monday, and from 19:00 to 06:00 between 15 and 19 December.

A temporary 30mph speed limit will also be in place on affected areas "with immediate effect", the council said on Friday.

Similar work was recently carried out on another section of the road last month, while recent storms have also caused more damage to trees.

Charlotte Hill, cabinet member for potholes, highways and transport, apologised for "any inconvenience which may be caused" to local businesses and residents.

"We've done a lot of work to reduce the risk to safety, but unfortunately there is more to be done," she said.

"We will always respond as quickly as possible to reports of fallen trees blocking the road, but as a precaution we're lowering the speed limit along the road to give motorists extra time to stop in the event that they find themselves approaching a tree which has fallen.

"We're doing all we can to minimise disruption to road users but public safety must come first."

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