Penton Hook
Penton Hook Island
Penton Hook Island temporary closure
We have had to close Penton Hook Island temporarily to the public.
We apologise for any disruption this closure may be causing. We know the importance of this site to the local community and we are committed to keeping everyone updated on our progress.
Keeping the public safe is one of our priorities. Unfortunately, we have had to close Penton Hook Island to the public because a survey identified trees that present a safety hazard, some with ash dieback disease.
These trees pose a high risk of injury to people from falling branches, collapsing trees and branches on the ground causing trip hazards.
We continue to work to resolve this issue as quickly as we can. However, ash dieback rots the tree from within, making the felling of these trees extremely unpredictable. This poses a risk to the chainsaw operator and the surrounding environment and so we must use specialist mechanical equipment. Because the island only has pedestrian access, we will need to use floating plant machinery on barges to access the island.
We are working closely with Surrey County Council to explore options for this complex work. We hope to do this in a way that can engage and involve the community.
We cannot give an exact date for completion of the works. We will need time to set up and must avoid the bird nesting season between March and the end of August. Site set up could be affected by river conditions changing the ground on the island.
Our aim is to replace the diseased trees with new trees to suit the ecology of the island.
Public safety remains our priority and is paramount in our decisions. Unfortunately, some people have forced the fence open to gain access. We urge people not to do this, as it puts them and others at significant risk of harm.
Our staff at Penton Hook Lock will continue to support members of the public with general queries about our work to support boating but won’t be able to answer further questions about this tree management work.
Please email enquiries_thm@environment-agency.gov.uk.You can also phone our National Customer Contact Centre on 03708 506 506 (Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm). Please note we will be unable to answer any additional questions until we have further updates from those working on this project.
