Herefordshire’s head of transport and infrastructure has defended using large free-standing planters for trees along a new Hereford road rather than planting them in the ground.

The 17 planters recently installed along the central reservation of the City Link Road, also called Station Approach, cost £148,400 from a pot of money allocated for the purpose.

In a written question on these to today’s Herefordshire Council cabinet meeting, Hereford resident Mr M Willmont asked: “What was so complicated about planting the trees in the ground?

“This surely would have resulted in a better appearance, saved money on maintenance, and avoided having to find and move the planters to an alternative location in the future (if one could be found).”

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Cabinet member Coun John Harrington replied: “On the City Link Road, we may want to make changes for better provision of active travel measures – such as a segregated cycle lane, as should have been originally delivered.

“So whilst I share your preference for in-ground trees, planting these now may restrict or curtail best design in that regard.”

The planters “will bring enjoyment and pleasure to our residents – and there will always be somewhere to put them in the future”, he said.

“But we will also plan and budget properly in good time for in-ground trees going into our city, which desperately needs greenery back.

“We have below national average tree cover in our urban areas, and I would like as many good specimen trees planted into the ground wherever possible – that is the direction we have given officers.”

He explained: “We have to be careful about the glut of utilities that have gone into trenching underground around the city, often with little thought – where we need to put extra resource into putting trees in so their roots are protected and services aren’t affected.”