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The county has over six million metres squared of rural verges and over 320 thousand square metres of central reservations along its roads. The cutting regime helps to keep roads visible for motorists but also provides a safe space for wildlife too.

91��Ƭ��County Council cuts less grass to make areas more friendly and protected for pollinators, however some cutting is still necessary. At Junctions where visibility is required, grass is cut back to the full extent, whereas parallel to the road, grass will only be cut back one or two metres, leaving significant uncut areas available for wildlife.

Councillor Nik Price, 91��Ƭ��County Council’s Cabinet Member with Responsibility for Highways and Transport said: “While our primary focus when managing roadside verges is keeping road users safe, it’s equally important that we help protect and support the county’s pollinator populations.
“Roadside vegetation grows rapidly during the summer months, and we have a legal responsibility to maintain these areas to ensure the road network remains safe. At the same time, the changes introduced in recent years have created significant benefits for biodiversity across our network.”

The County Council is pollinator friendly and actively works to promote the protection of pollinating insects and their habitat. Dual carriageway verges offer important linear networks for pollinators, known as ‘Bee Lines.’

Reduced cutting of the central reservations has now created connections between previously isolated areas of ecological interest.

There are 46 Roadside Verge Nature Reserves designated for rare or special species and habitats across our county and all sites now receive a bespoke approach to ensure that protected or rare species are fully considered when it comes to maintenance.

To report a grass cutting issue, please visit the Report It pages of our website.