The municipality of Vught is going to investigate the tree that fell over on Tuesday evening and caused a havoc on the track at De Bréautélaan. Although the tree was on the basis of the municipality, there are no information about the safety of the stump in question. Due to uncertainty about who bears responsibility for the tree, it is probably not checked for safety.
The tree fell over on Tuesday evening and took the overhead line of the track. The damage was great. Trains between Den Bosch and Tilburg could not run since Tuesday. ProRail worked until Wednesday evening to restore the broken threads and masts.
“At the moment the cause of the fall of the tree is not known,” writes a spokesperson for the municipality in a statement. “Although this tree was on municipal property, there are no management data available.”
Although the municipality of Vught therefore acknowledges that the tree was on municipal land, Idverde consultancy firm sees that the tree maintenance takes care of the municipality, otherwise. According to them, the tree was on the basis of rail manager ProRail.
ProRail fights that. A spokesperson for the rail manager also says that the tree was on municipal land. “We regularly do checks at trees on our site. If they are in a bad way and threaten to fall, we will harvest them immediately,” says the spokesperson.
Mandatory check
Municipalities in the Netherlands are obliged to perform a so -called tree safety check (BVC) periodically. In addition, a tree expert views the health, stability and safety of almost all trees on public land. For example, it is determined whether they meet the safety requirements and do not pose a risk due to breaking branches or threatening to fall.
ProRail also carries out such checks at trees on its site. But because of the confusion about who was responsible for the tree that fell over Tuesday, it was probably not checked. According to the municipality, there is a good chance that the tree in the field will not be recognized as a municipal tree.
In the autumn of 2023, Vught had the last check carried out by Idverde. For safety reasons, the office advised to cut or replant 350 trees in the municipality. In addition, so -called ‘Attention trees’ must be closely monitored. According to the report, the municipality carried out little maintenance for years and was only intervened if that was strictly necessary.
The fallen tree was not on the list of risk trees. “What the state of the tree was exactly is unknown,” the municipality says. “On 3 September, the remaining parts, such as the root ball, are being investigated to find out a possible cause.”
Better Tree Management
Since Idverde’s advice, the municipality has drawn up a plan to make up for the overdue tree maintenance. That plan will soon be offered to the municipal administration.
