As the local Highway Authority in our area, we have a responsibility to maintain the adopted highway within our boundary.
It's our responsibility to determine how all vegetation within the adopted highway is maintained, including verges (except for grassy areas maintained by National Highways).
How we maintain verges
We actively manage some areas of verge for biodiversity and climate resilience, with wildflower management and tree planting; find out how we maintain grass in rural areas whilst some areas remain uncut to help natural habitats.
We're installing signage and tree guards to alert farmers and landowners to areas that should be left un-mowed.
Trees in hedges and boundaries are usually the responsibility of the landowner or occupier whose property abounds the adopted highway.
Trees on land adjoining the adopted highway are the responsibility of the owner or occupier, but the (local or national) Highways Authority has a duty (and powers of enforcement) to ensure that they do not endanger the highway or its users. Report problems with trees.
Verge management policy statement for farmers and landowners
Farmers and landowners play an important role in the management of field edges, including:
- sensitive verge management as an integral part of ensuring important wildlife habitats are maintained in good condition
- cutting high-risk areas to improve line of sight and avoid dangerous situations (for example, near entrances and exits to farms and fields
We're keen to work with farmers and landowners to:
- meet our climate, environmental and flood management policy objectives
- manage verges in an environmentally sensitive and responsible way,
- maximise natural habitats and enhance biodiversity
Our draft recommendations for farmers and landowners undertaking roadside verge management are:
- Only cut verges when necessary.
- Remove arisings (debris from tree work such as twigs, branches, woodchips, logs and foliage) to help create a suitable environment for wildflowers and increase the wildlife value of verges.
- Leave a 1 metre uncut strip along a boundary/hedge edge to provide refuge for wildlife and encourage natural habitats to form.
- Allow thick hedges to flower and fruit to provide birds with nest sites and winter food; uncut hedges also provide essential shelter for overwintering insects and their larval young - rotational management can help support this.
- Avoid cutting all hedgerows at once; consider a 3 to 5 year rotation to allow flowers and berries to grow in alternate sections.
- Avoid or reduce the use of herbicides; spot spray only to treat injurious weeds such as ragwort.
- Do not cut hedges between 1 March and 31 August to avoid bird nesting season.
- Avoid driving on verges, especially in wet conditions when machinery may rut the verge.
- Leave areas un-mown where signage and tree guards denote wildflower management and tree planting.
- Take care when mowing or flailing near trees - do not remove trees without consultation with us first.
We welcome farmers and landowners adopting sections of the verge and extending the wildflower and tree planting programme.