Roads - verge maintenance
The County Council undertake roadside verge maintenance (grass cutting, weed spraying and siding) to keep verges in a safe and tidy condition and to preserve the width of the carriageway, footway or cycleway for road users and pedestrians.
The table below shows the different agencies responsible for maintaining verges in North Yorkshire: Agency | Why do they maintain verges? | Areas of responsibility | Highways Agency | Safety for road users and to preserve highway width | Verges alongside motorways and trunk roads eg A19, A66, A64 | North Yorkshire County Council | Safety for road users and to preserve highway width | Verges alongside all other roads within the county that are not privately owned | District Councils | To improve and enhance the appearance of the local area | Public open space, parks, town centres, memorial gardens | Parish Councils | To improve and enhance the appearance of the local area | Parish amenity area |
The following maintenance activities are undertaken by the County Council: Type of maintenance | Why is this done? | Where is this done? | How often? | Grass cutting | To allow road users and pedestrians to: - See round bends and road junctions
- See traffic signs clearly
- Step off the road when vehicles pass
| On strategic and priority routes in designated areas | - Urban designated areas- up to 6 times a season
- Rural A and B class designated routes- twice each season
- Rural non classified designated routes- road junctions and other well used footways and carriageways
| Routine weed spraying | To prevent the growth and establishment of weeds which are unsightly and can result in carriageway and footway damage | Kerbed roads and footways | Weed treatment is generally undertaken once per annum but re-treatment may be necessary depending on the particular growing season | Siding | To prevent the growth of grass and vegetation which reduces the available width of a footway, cycleway or carriageway | Mainly footways and cycleways. On some carriageways prior to surface dressing or edge markings. | Siding not undertaken routinely but may be carried out if it has been noted on a Highway Inspection or following notification from a member of the public or Town/Parish Council |
Helping the County Council to maintain highway vergesThe County Council receives a high number of reports of verge damage every year. You can help to protect the highway verge by: - Not driving or parking on verges. This kills plants and damages the soil structure
- If you see someone damaging a verge near you - report it
- Although it might seem like a public spirited thing to do, please don't plant bulbs or other cultivated plants on road side verges. Save them for your own garden.
- Only cutting a grass verge later in the year when wild flowers have had time to seed
Verge maintenance - frequently asked questions
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