The control of growth on the highway verge is necessary for safety and environmental reasons such as maintaining visibility for highway users; minimising the risk of fire; controlling brushwood/scrub and harmful weeds; providing a refuge for pedestrians/equestrians where no footway exists.

There are different maintenance regimes for grass verges, depending on their location. Urban roadside verges are cut a maximum of 6 times a year. The cutting of verges in rural locations depends on the maintenance category of the road and is done to maintain visibility areas, whilst  balancing the need to control weeds against the promotion of a varied habitat for wildlife.

For more information please select Management of Roadside Verges (1.88MB - pdf help).

If you would like to report overgrown grass verges please select the online fault reporting form.