Council grass cutters take to the road for the first time this year

In Ashfield and Mansfield, as part of a review of the County Council’s environmental maintenance programme over the next three years, the grass cutting and weed spraying will be done by the district/borough councils.

Nottinghamshire County Council is responsible for cutting more than 5,000 kilometres of grass verge, with grass cutting taking place from April to the end of September – and if needed into October, depending on the weather.

In towns and villages grass verges are cut five times within the season, including strimming around obstacles -- such as benches and signposts.

For highway verges between towns and villages the council cuts the grass twice with two additional cuts to maintain visibility at road junctions, allowing motorists a clear view in all directions.

For rural cuts the council uses tractors fitted with metre-long side arm flails whilst in urban areas the task is done using sit-on mowers with flails which are a lot more manoeuvrable. Mower blades for both urban and rural are set to a height of two and a half inches.