1. How many times did the council mow roadside verges across the county between the months of March and July this year (2020)?
Grass cutting on visibility areas (junctions, laybys and is undertaken on inside of bends) were undertaken as stated below:
• On Rural Priority Network – cutting is carried out twice or occasionally three times per annum.
• Rural other roads (excluding maintenance category 12 roads) – once per annum.
• Urban roads with speed limits less than 40mph (excluding maintenance category 12 roads) – four times per annum.
The only deviations permitted are where additional cuts are considered on safety grounds (overgrown vegetation and highway visibility splays)
In normal growing season the rural cutting commences on the Priority Routes during mid-May, Urban cutting usually commences in April
2. For the same months in 2019 (March – July), how many times did the council mow roadside verges?
Our approach in 2019 was the same as it has been in 2020, with reference to our response to question 1 above.
3. What was the schedule agreed at the start of the year (2020) for roadside verge cutting?
The schedule for grass cutting given to our Contractor, City, District, Parish Councils and paid for by Devon County Council were the same as set out in our grass cutting policy highlighted above in our response to question 1
4. Has the council deviated from this schedule in any way – has more or less cutting than was planned taken place?
There were no deviations to the agreed policy, except where additional cutting was deemed necessary/or requested for safety reason