If you are driving a standard sized truck on a road with no height restriction marked and you hit and dislodge an overhanging branch so that it falls into the road, have you committed a road traffic offence?
I would say its either the County Council Highways Department or the land owners responsibility to keep it cut back.In my humble opinion Harry,you haven’t committed an offence.
Harry Monk:
If you are driving a standard sized truck on a road with no height restriction marked and you hit and dislodge an overhanging branch so that it falls into the road, have you committed a road traffic offence?
I believe not. The local authority are responsible for ensuring that trees do not cause obstruction to the highway, even if the trees do not belong to them. I get letters at least once a year reminding me to lop my trees that overhang the road or they will do it, I just let them and they have never charged me for it yet!
The council crew that do it tell me that the council can be held responsible for any damage to high vehicles so its cheaper for them to just get on with it, but I do provide them with tea & cakes 
It’s not nice tho if your new to that road and you keep hitting trees thinking where’s the low bridge!!
When I worked on car transporters, the company reckoned the local authorities were supposed to keep branches back to 16ft, any damaged caused by anything under that and they billed them for it, I once did a couple of Jag roofs (very minor btw) on low branches and never got the blame
Off the Surrey County Council site
If your tree overhangs the road, you must keep it trimmed so that there are no low hanging branches that could affect vehicles or pedestrians. The minimum height allowed for overhanging branches depends on the type of road.
For A roads you must prune any overhanging branches lower than 7m above the road.
For B and C roads you must prune any overhanging branches lower than 6m above the road
For D roads branches you must prune any overhanging branches lower than 5.4m above the road.
Over footways, pavements and pathways you must prune any overhanging branches lower than 2.3m
Harry Monk:
If you are driving a standard sized truck on a road with no height restriction marked and you hit and dislodge an overhanging branch so that it falls into the road, have you committed a road traffic offence?
a year or two ago one of our drivers knocked down a tree,which took down a lampost and hit truck,road shut,in london,he didnt get done for it,coppers attended,but he was sacked if i rember right for not following run sheet,said hed of just got warning if it was just accident,havent seen him since but was told by lad who spoke to him that hed won unfair dismissal case.
I reckon if it caused an accident (or could of caused an accident), if the branches were much lower than than your vehicle, if they were clearly visible and you took no avoiding action, a canny copper might attempt to give you a ‘without due care’.
The argument would be be that, even if someone else has a responsibility to cut the branches, you have a responsibility to look at the road ahead, and know your vehicle height. I reckon you’d be unlucky though.
Ian58:
Off the Surrey County Council siteIf your tree overhangs the road, you must keep it trimmed so that there are no low hanging branches that could affect vehicles or pedestrians. The minimum height allowed for overhanging branches depends on the type of road.
For A roads you must prune any overhanging branches lower than 7m above the road.
For B and C roads you must prune any overhanging branches lower than 6m above the road
For D roads branches you must prune any overhanging branches lower than 5.4m above the road.
Over footways, pavements and pathways you must prune any overhanging branches lower than 2.3m
Thank you, there has been some good advice but this is the best researched.
It’s not for me, but I belong to other forums where, although the information gleaned is enormously helpful, folk sometimes make posts detrimental to truck drivers and I do always beat the lorry driver drum when baited!
spoke to a council bod a few yrs ago delivering cars into plymouth the dealer had a lot of trees on the last bit of road which when running at 16.00 ft clipped a few cars he said the council byelaw stated all trees should be min 5.5 mtrs but since the councils didnt subsidise the bus services any more didnt trim the trees back.
Many years ago in Colchester the borough transport bus company used to keep the tree branches clear along the Lexden Rd. It was an unusual sight to see this with a load of chainsaw wielding tree surgeons on the top.
Back down Memory Lane again looking to see if I could find any pictures of the tree surgeons on the bus, didn’t find anything about the Colchester bus but I did find this!
Biscuits:
I reckon if it caused an accident (or could of caused an accident), if the branches were much lower than than your vehicle, if they were clearly visible and you took no avoiding action, a canny copper might attempt to give you a ‘without due care’.The argument would be be that, even if someone else has a responsibility to cut the branches, you have a responsibility to look at the road ahead, and know your vehicle height. I reckon you’d be unlucky though.
+1
When I worked for C ■■■■ at Poundstretcher, we were running 16ft 2inch double deck trailers that regularly ‘trimmed’ branches from trees, and fell into the road, and indeed following vehicles.
Not once did we get the bill for the damage.
Ken.
I always use it as a clue I am on the wrong road. I dont believe I am the first truck to use the route, so consider the factory I want, is not down that road.
I think they get plenty of donor buses after they hit bridges 
The amount of times I’ve had angry householders come out and whinge when I’ve broken branches going down narrow lanes…the most irritating are those who want the material but don’t want the lorry to tip too high incase it hits the branches. As many of you will know, I have no time for trees or grass 
Muckaway:
The amount of times I’ve had angry householders come out and whinge when I’ve broken branches going down narrow lanes…the most irritating are those who want the material but don’t want the lorry to tip too high incase it hits the branches. As many of you will know, I have no time for trees or grass
Do you have problems with power lines and telephone cables getting in the way with what you do?
Saaamon:
Muckaway:
The amount of times I’ve had angry householders come out and whinge when I’ve broken branches going down narrow lanes…the most irritating are those who want the material but don’t want the lorry to tip too high incase it hits the branches. As many of you will know, I have no time for trees or grassDo you have problems with power lines and telephone cables getting in the way with what you do?
Yes mate, the only house in the street with wires across the driveway? That’s the one I end up delivering to. I’m more cautious with these as these dont grow back…
Muckaway:
Saaamon:
Muckaway:
The amount of times I’ve had angry householders come out and whinge when I’ve broken branches going down narrow lanes…the most irritating are those who want the material but don’t want the lorry to tip too high incase it hits the branches. As many of you will know, I have no time for trees or grassDo you have problems with power lines and telephone cables getting in the way with what you do?
Yes mate, the only house in the street with wires across the driveway? That’s the one I end up delivering to. I’m more cautious with these as these dont grow back…
Yeah thats one, always right in the ■■■■■■■ way.
Saaamon:
Muckaway:
Saaamon:
Muckaway:
The amount of times I’ve had angry householders come out and whinge when I’ve broken branches going down narrow lanes…the most irritating are those who want the material but don’t want the lorry to tip too high incase it hits the branches. As many of you will know, I have no time for trees or grassDo you have problems with power lines and telephone cables getting in the way with what you do?
Yes mate, the only house in the street with wires across the driveway? That’s the one I end up delivering to. I’m more cautious with these as these dont grow back…
Yeah thats one, always right in the [zb] way.
And usually when tipping topsoil or mixed building sand, never something free running like shingle…