Six bay trees have been uprooted from Naxxar Square to the anger of residents.

The local council said that the six trees, which were removed from the upper part of Labour Avenue on Wednesday morning, would be transferred to a suitable location at a later date.

It said the move was necessary to increase accessibility in one of the town’s most frequented areas, as due to the trees, the pavement was narrower than what was stipulated in the Access for All guidelines.

“Measures have been taken, and expert advice sought, as to how best to proceed to safeguard them as much as possible,” the council said.

They will be taken to the ELC nursery

“As a matter of fact they will first be heavily pruned, uprooted and taken to the ELC nursery until the roots redevelop fully in a sheltered environment. After the summer they will be planted at Masġar it-Tfal, San Pawl tat-Tarġa.”

However, the council was on Wednesday inundated with posts from residents angry at the decision to remove the trees. They insisted the trees were an important feature of the area and other measures should have been taken to fix the pavement width.

According to the council, the measure is the first phase in a more extensive embellishment of the whole area which will include new lighting and street furniture, as well as flower beds and planters by the pavement.

The council said the uprooting had to take place before the plans were finalised, as doing so at a later stage would have damaged the trees.