A BRIDGWATER car salesman has hit out after a row of trees was cut down outside his dealership this week.

Scott Stacey of Stacey’s Motors on The Drove, Bridgwater came into work on Monday to find Somerset County Council’s contractors at work cutting back hedging and chopping down trees on land outside the garage.

Mr Stacey, a sales manager at Stacey’s Motors, was perplexed, saying he had not been consulted or received any correspondence about the work.

“It was Stacey’s Motors staff who first planted those trees more than 20 years ago.

“We’ve maintained that land for the last 20-odd years and it is the only bit of greenery down here on this part of the industrial estate,” Mr Stacey said.

“It does not seem very environmentally friendly to take these trees down to put in a new cycle lane that I doubt many people will use.

“It is just really frustrating to lose these trees right outside our showroom.”

Somerset County Council said the work was being carried out as part of scheme to complete a missing section of cycle lane along The Drove to the Wylds Road junction.

A Somerset County Council spokesman said: “Construction work on the missing section of cycleway is due to start later this year.

“This is being delivered as part of a package of cycling and walking improvements in and around Bridgwater.

“In advance of that - and the bird nesting season - some vegetation requires removal, including four trees and a section of hedging near the Stacey’s Motors dealership.

“Our officers have looked and all vegetation planned for removal is shown on the land registry to be on highway land.”