Verges alongside smaller roads, such as the county’s C and U class roads, will be cut once during the summer season.
Cutting is typically undertaken by tractors with a flail as this is the most efficient and effective way to undertake the vegetation works and dry weather is required as, similarly to household mowers, wet grass can clog the machinery.
These cuts are solely for safety purposes and district and borough councils will usually supplement these with amenity cuts throughout the year.
Suffolk Highways does not cut village greens, parks and open spaces, or rural verges that are not adjacent to the road.
Weed treatments have already commenced across the county.
Two treatments are applied to weeds in urban areas across Suffolk annually if it is deemed that the weeds may pose a safety risk due to obscuring visibility for road users or causing damage to pavements, kerbs, or surrounding walls.
Weeds in rural areas are not included in the annual weed treatment programme but will be treated on a site-specific basis if they are identified as being harmful or noxious.
All weed treatments are weather dependent and cannot be applied in high winds or if rain is forecast due to this reducing the effectiveness of the treatment.
Glyphosate is currently used for the treatment as this is not harmful to people or pets and has proved to be more effective than alternatives previously trialled in Suffolk.
However, a substitute for this is still being sought to support Suffolk County Council’s continued ambition to protect and enhance the environment.
Councillor Paul West, Suffolk County Council’s cabinet member for Ipswich, operational highways and flooding, said: “Summer maintenance, such as weed treatments and grass cutting, forms a significant part of Suffolk Highways’ workload, with us spending £1.9m on these soft estate activities each year, which is around 12% of our annual revenue budget.
“As part of our ongoing commitment to providing value for money for Suffolk residents, careful consideration has been given to where we cut and treat. We would also ask that landowners play their part by ensuring that any vegetation on their property does not spread on to the highway or obstruct visibility.
“Last year, we cut more than 7,000 miles of grass, which is the equivalent distance of London to Singapore, and applied more than 34,000 weed treatments across the county, both of which are a testament to the hard work and dedication of our summer maintenance teams.”
Further information on the grass cutting programme and weed treatment programme, including the planned dates for this to take place in local areas, can be viewed on the council’s website.
