Somerset County Council

Economic and Community Infrastructure – Highways

Environmental Maintenance, Verge Maintenance Sheet 2023

Introduction

The highway network is vital to the people of Somerset and the local economy. During the growing season, Somerset County Council carries out environmental maintenance works to help keep all road users safe.  The maintenance activities are listed below.

Grass cutting

Rural highway verges are cut to a minimum of one metre in width from the roadside using a tractor and flail. This is to provide a safe area for pedestrians, preserve visibility, help the flow of surface water along road channels and enable the safe positioning of any temporary traffic management (Signs barriers/cones). Sight lines are also cut at road junctions and bends to ensure better visibility for road users and pedestrians.

High amenity verges in urban areas are maintained by our Streetscene Team using a variety of machinery/plant.

Our rural grass cutting programme typically commences in May and is complete by September. The busiest routes are cut first because of the higher volumes of traffic using them. Approximately 80% of the verge maintenance programme is cut outside of the month of May.

Please note the dates listed above may be subject to change due to weather or any unforeseen events.

Hedges and banks

Where there are no verges, and the roads are immediately bordered by a bank or hedge, a minimum of a single vertical swathe of seasonal growth will be cut.

It should be noted that most hedges bordering the highway are privately owned.  Landowners/occupiers are responsible for the maintenance of their boundary, to make sure their hedge, tree or shrub does not obstruct highway users or lines of sight at junctions.  Landowners must also remove any debris from the road surface to prevent nuisance and to stop it blocking surface water drainage systems.

To report dangerous vegetation on the highway network please visit; https://www.somerset.gov.uk/roads-travel-and-parking/report-a-problem-on-the-road/

Planned Hedge Trimming

SCC co-ordinate the delivery of hedge trimming operations outside of the bird nesting season. Typically, such planned works are undertaken between October and February each year. Approximately 200 individual sites, countywide, are cut.

Whilst planned works are promoted, it should be noted that cutting of hedges within the bird nesting season may be required to address an immediate localised safety concern.

Weed Treatment

Under the Noxious Weeds Act 1959, certain noxious weeds (e.g. Ragwort) must be removed where they are reported as causing a nuisance to highway users or adjoining landowners.

SCC completes an annual weed treatment programme to control invasive species. Species include Japanese Knotweed, Himalayan Knotweed, Himalayan Balsam and Giant Hogweed. Approximately 350 known sites, countywide, are treated and/or monitored each year).

Specific sites can receive up to four planned inspections and/or treatments per season. Our weed treatment programme typically commences in April and is complete by October.

To report noxious or invasive weeds on the highway network please visit; https://www.somerset.gov.uk/roads-travel-and-parking/report-a-problem-on-the-road/

Conservation

All environmental works will seek to protect wildlife on roadside verges, while maintaining road safety, consistent with the Somerset Highways Biodiversity Manual and the Somerset Pollinator Action Plan. https://www.somerset.gov.uk/waste-planning-and-land/biodiversity/#Somerset-Pollinator-Action-Plan.

For more information about environmental maintenance, please visit Grass cutting (somerset.gov.uk).