Worried parish councillors want a hit squad to be set up to destroy Triffid-like plants invading nature spots across the district.

The highly-invasive Japanese knotweed, which has also been seen at Dowley Gap, near Bingley, and at Saltaire, has now got its roots into land at Carr Lane in Wrose which has been earmarked for a nature reserve.

Wrose parish councillors say the alien weed - originally from Asia - is taking over the grassy area on the site of the village's former brickworks which they want to turn into a wildlife haven and public walkway from Wrose to Shipley.

Parish councillor Derek Daykin said: "Its like going in to a jungle. The knotweed grows straight up like trees and all knots together. It's quite a sight."

His fellow councillor Martin Humphreys added: "It's over two metres tall, looks like giant bamboo Triffids, marching through and over anything in its way.

"Japanese knotweed and bindweed are the two most destructive weeds in Britain smothering and annihilating all other plantlife. There is an ongoing failure of Bradford Council to tackle and destroy these weeds as soon as they are identified on Council-owned land."

Coun Humphreys claims outbreaks of Japanese knotweed and bindweed are sprouting up all over the district.

On behalf of the parish council, he has sent a list of demands to Bradford Council's asset management department which urges it to set up a team with the knowledge and equipment to eliminated the weeds. He also wants to see a council-run help-line and e-mail facility opened so people can be helped to identify the weeds at the earliest opportunity and report any on council land or their own private property as soon as possible.

Mike Bell, the Council's head of asset management, said it inspected its land and if there was a problem landscape contractors were told to spray in line with the policy on control of noxious weeds. He added: "We will inspect the land at Carr Lane to decide what action to take. We are aware that Japanese knotweed is quite prevalent in some areas of the district on land that is not owned by the Council.

"In these cases we expect the private landowners to deal with it responsibly. There are strict rules regarding the removal of Japanese knotweed and it is important that these are followed."

e-mail: kathie.griffiths@bradford.newsquest.co.uk

INVASION OF THE JAPANESE 'TRIFFIDS'
  • Japanese knotweed is on the Environment Agency's top ten "most wanted" list of foreign species that have overstayed their environmental visa
  • The plant, which has red zig-zag patterned stems and oval tree-like leaves with white flower spikes from July to October, is resistant to weedkillers
  • Because Japanese knotweed is showing a presence in the district, a Suffolk company called tcm has opened an office in Birstall to help builders make sure the weed does not shove its way through brick, stone and concrete
  • Knotweed has been responsible for buildings being pulled down where its invasive and thirsty root system had sucked moisture from clay in the ground
  • Its reach has led to legislation making it against the law to allow knotweed to spread and anyone transporting it needs a hazardous waste licence