Despite her tree-loving reputation, the Lord Mayor is at war with locals trying to stop her chopping down a 4m jacaranda tree to make way for a bike lane.

Cr Mandla will ask council officers to investigate moving the traffic light to the right or left of the tree so it doesn’t have to be removed.

“It’s disappointing that with the ‘we must all be encouraged to cycle’ vision of the Lord Mayor that we’re removing a much-loved jacaranda tree in a highly urbanised area,” he said.

“Saving trees is often used by council as an excuse to stop initiatives. It seems the priorities of the city are clear and nothing will stand in the way of a cycleway.”