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CORONAVIRUS UPDATE

Our response to the coronavirus outbreak is continuing – and our focus is on keeping critical services running, particularly those supporting vulnerable people.

We’re also supporting residents, communities and businesses by bringing back services, where we can, in line with the latest Government guidance.

Find out more about the support and guidance available, and any changes to our services.

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Grass cutting

Coronavirus update

The second rural grass cut, which are verges on linking roads between towns and villages, commences on Monday 8 June. As with the previous cut, we will only be cutting the grass in rural areas where it impacts on road user’s visibility.

The urban grass cutting programme was delayed due to the pandemic and as a result did not start till 4 May. This first cut is nearing completion and we will soon be starting the second cut.

Urban grass cutting

Grass in towns and villages is cut by a 2 person gang using a ride on mower with flail and a strimmer. Each 2 person gang aims to cut the equivalent of nearly 4 football pitches a day.

34 Parish Councils cut grass in their areas on our behalf.

  

Frequently asked questions

 

Motorways and Trunk Roads are cut by Highways England

The A5 / A46 / A42 / A453 / A52 / A50 (J24 towards Stoke) / A14 / M1 / M69 / M42 and M6 are the responsibility of Highways England. You can report a grass issue to them by calling 0300 123 5000.

Rural grass cutting

Roads in between towns and villages (40mph and above) are classed as rural grass cutting routes, these are generally highway verges between village entry signs. These are cut in a nominal 1 metre swathe from the edge of the carriageway or footway, to ensure that vegetation does not restrict visibility for highway users.  

Daffodils and Wildflowers

Our grass cutting teams cut around planted bulbs such as daffodils. These areas are not cut until around June, after the daffodil season has died down. This is usually around the 3rd cut of the season.  If we’re informed of an unusual species of wildflower such as an orchid, we will take advice from Council’s Principal Ecologist and amend our mowing programme to avoid harm.

Private accesses are the property owners responsibility

A private access is defined as an access that goes back onto non-highway land. When we undertake a single swathe along the route we will continue the 1m swathe across the private access but we don’t cut back the visibility splay around the access, this is the property owners responsibility.

Weed spraying

We spray weeds in late May and late September. By law the weed killer that we use is no stronger than products sold at DIY stores.

Hedge cutting

Most hedges are privately owned and we are currently only responsible for cutting hedges in just 250 locations across the county. Routine cutting is restricted to between October and February to avoid bird nesting season and fit around the grass cutting programme. Hedges are only cut for safety reasons and not appearance, to ensure branches do not overhang the highway or footway.

Edging back requests

Edging back of footways is usually done outside of the grass cutting season between October and March.

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