Giant Hogweed: repeated failure to tackle infestation 'negligent'

Sandy Belloni, who runs a local action group Community Connections Projects CIC, has raised the alarm multiple times over a giant hogweed infestation between the M1 and A41 near Bushey to the highways agency since 2021.

On June 5, he reported a patch of around 50 plants between the major roads and it took National Highways six weeks to send workers to chemically spray them on July 16.

But the conservation worker said he was “losing faith” in the highways agency when he returned on Sunday (August 4) to find the plants were still there.

A photo taken on Sunday (August 4) of a surviving giant hogweed plant. (Image: Sandy Bell) ​The invasive species is considered hazardous as its sap makes skin very sensitive to sunlight, which can cause burns and recurring blisters for months and even years, according to the Woodland Trust.

The plants’ proximity to the busy roads also poses an increased risk, according to Sandy, as he said the wind movement can catch the seeds and cause them to travel even further.Sandy Belloni has been raising alarm over the infestation for three years. (Image: Sandy Belloni)

He added: “It must be really difficult with the amount of areas that National Highways have to deal with, but it’s a half an hour job and they still haven’t done it.

The locations of the hogweed infestations found by Mr Bell. (Image: Sandy Belloni) “They promise that something will happen and it hasn’t. I’m frustrated and losing faith that they will ever actually deal with it.”

A spokesperson for National Highways said it carries out re-inspections a month after spraying and contractors will return to the site in the week starting August 19.

The conservation worker first raised the alarm over the plants in May 2021 and has continued to report it to National Highways as they have persisted for years since.

The infestation as pictured in July. (Image: Sandy Belloni) He now feels “disappointed” with National Highways' inaction, adding: “I have been trying for three years without success and it’s still spreading, so what can I do?

Giant hogweed leaves in front of an Elstree Road sign. (Image: Sandy Bell) “I would say that it is negligent that they haven’t effectively controlled this invasive species by now after all the maps I have sent them.”

He called for more “joined-up thinking” to tackle the plants, adding: “It shows a lack of coordination and a need to communicate. They are told about something like this, I would hope that they take it seriously and communicate back to me.”

When asked why it had failed to eliminate the infestation in July, a spokesperson for National Highways said: "Our environment team has planned to undertake a further visit on the week beginning August 19 to investigate the success of the spraying and confirm any further work required.

"As part of our five-year plan on capturing and managing injurious weeds, we will spray/inject them initially and then return to check the progress after approximately one month. If needed, we will then arrange our contractors to go back to treat them and this will continue until the weeds are eradicated.
 
"We will be able to provide detail on further plans once this visit has taken place."