A St Andrews couple fear a tree outside their home could injure schoolchildren when the next storm hits.
Ken Reid’s car was parked outside his house when heavy branches from the 35ft specimen fell on his vehicle, causing £1,600 of damage, during last month’s Storm Ali.
He claims Fife Council has not acted quickly enough to fell the tree before it causes another accident.
“Nobody cares that I could have been killed,” said Ken, 71.
“It’s beside the bus stop that the kids use in the morning. I hate to think what would happen if it came down when they were there.
“As far as I know nobody has even been out to look at it. It’s a comedy of errors.”
He added: “Bits of the tree which fell down a fortnight ago are still lying there on the ground.”
The council said two trees near the family home would be taken down, but that work to make trees safe in school grounds was being prioritised over the October holiday.
Ken’s wife Iona, 73, added: “When it’s windy you can see the tree swaying. If it comes down it’s going to take down the bus shelter.”
Callum MacLeod, who chairs The Royal Burgh of St Andrews Community Council, said he would raise the matter with local councillors.
“If it’s windy, people will be sheltering in the bus stop, so there’s a double risk there,” he said.
It is believed trees were planted in the street to celebrate the Queen’s Coronation in 1953.
Council area officer Brian Taylor said: “During Storm Ali, and in its aftermath, we’ve had literally thousands of similar cases of damaged trees reported across Fife. We’re having to prioritise emergency and crisis situations.
“We went out to the tree at Lamond Drive and dealt with what we had to at the time. Our qualified arborists have to handle all the jobs involving storm damaged limbs and climbing, so they are leaving branches behind once removed and colleagues in parks teams are effectively sweeping up the debris.
“The smaller branches have already been removed from this location and the larger ones, which were too big to manhandle, will be cut up and removed this week.
“The two trees near Mr Reid’s address are programmed for removal but jobs are being prioritised across Fife and, over the next couple of weeks we will be dealing with emergency cases in school grounds while pupils are on holiday.
“We take the situation very seriously and currently have three teams of arborists working nights and weekends as well as two teams of contractors in to help the clear up operation.”
