We cut the grass verge alongside the roads to keep the grass looking tidy. This also helps to keep drivers safe by maintaining visibility.
Report a problem with grass cutting in your area
When do we cut the grass?
In rural areas, we cut the grass in two general swathes, twice a year. We cut the grass near junctions, roundabouts and bends more frequently, so that visibility is not compromised.
In urban areas (i.e. within 30mph areas) we cut the grass much more frequently. We will keep paths and pavements clear of grass cuttings, but we do not collect the cuttings from the grassed areas.
We carry out weed spraying within 30mph areas up to 3 times a year.
Highway rural grass cutting policy (PDF, 328KB).
Grass cutting around trees
We are taking steps to improve the health of trees on council land. As part of our commitment to biodiversity and to tackling the climate change and ecological emergency, we want to take a lighter-touch approach to grass-cutting in our parks and communal areas.
Established trees in our parks and on our streets have most of their roots in the top few feet of soil underneath their canopy. When heavy machinery (like a mower) is used on this soil or enough people walk on it, the soil can become compacted, which makes it harder for the tree to absorb the oxygen, water and nutrients it needs to grow.
To prevent damage to the roots from this compacted soil, we plan on only cutting the grass around the trees once or twice each year using light equipment. We hope that this will discourage too many people from walking over the roots and give the soil time to recover and for the tree to thrive. The un-cut grass will grow into new bee meadows, attracting the insects and small mammals that are so important for biodiversity. We look after newly-planted trees in a different way, using mulch around the trunk to prevent water being lost and to keep down grass and weeds.
We are very grateful for your support in our efforts to protect and preserve the plants and wildlife in our green spaces and thank you for your help in looking after all the trees so precious to our communities. If you’d like to talk to a member of our team about this, please email us at trees@denbighshire.gov.uk.
Protecting biodiversity
Grass and roadside verges are important sites for wildlife, including pollinating insects, birds, mammals and some rare plants. We treat certain rural areas differently for the benefit of biodiversity, this can include letting some parts grow more than others. We have also designated roadside nature reserves to protect particularly important verges. Find out about our roadside verges project (external website).