Our aim

During the growing season, we carry out a number of environmental maintenance operations to help keep all road users safe.

Our aim is to:

• preserve visibility sight lines at junctions and bends
• provide a safe area for pedestrians if there is no footway
• protect wildlife on roadside verges, where this does not conflict with safety requirements

Grass cutting

Highway verges are cut to a minimum of one metre in width from the roadside to provide a safe area for pedestrians, preserve visibility and help the flow of surface water along road channels. Visibility sight lines are also cut on bends and near road signs.

Each highway verge, including junction visibilities, will be cut once during this season, except on the ‘A’ and ‘B’ networks where the road verge and junction visibilities are cut twice.

In certain areas, particularly urban housing estates, grass-cutting may be carried out by parish or town councils.

Our grass-cutting programme commences in May and is complete by September, depending on the seasonal growing conditions. The busiest routes are cut first because of the higher volumes of traffic.

When is work happening?

See the Grass cutting table at full width
Road ClassificationDates
1st cut – A and B roads (including junction visibility splays and sight lines) 9 May 2023 to 4 Jun 2023 (dependant on rate of growth) 3 to 4 weeks
C roads and unclassified roads (including junction visibility splays and sight lines) 5 Jun 2023 to 30 July 2023 (dependant on rate of growth) 8 weeks
2nd cut – A and B roads (including junction visibility splays and sight lines) 31 Aug 2023 to 27 August 2023 (dependant on rate of growth) 3 to 4 weeks
Environmentally protected sites Late August / early September (dependant on rate of growth) 1 week

Please note the dates listed above may be subject to change due to weather or any unforeseen events.

You can see which locations are included on our live map.

This is a preview version of our new maps that allow us to share our works as they happen.  We are aware they may be some display issues when using this map please bear with us while we work to improve these maps.

You can also find a list of routes on the lists below.

A and B roads – order of works

Mendip – A and B roads

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1 B3092 Frome to Maiden Bradley
2 A362 Frome to Corsley
3 A361 Frome Bypass to Boundary
4 A3098 Chapmanslade
5 B3109 Wingfield
6 A366 Terry Hill to Boundary
7 B3110 Norton St Phillip
8 B3139 Kilmerston to A37
9 A367 Stratton on Fosse to A37
10 B3355 Chilcompton
11 B3356 Junction A367 to Chilcompton
12 A37 Lydford to A39 Junction Rush Hill
14 A39 Glastonbury to Walton
15 B3114 Litton
16 B3135 Glastonbury to Westhay
17 B3134 Burrington
18 A371 Castle Cary to Shepton Mallet
19 B3151 Glastonbury to Meare
20 B3153 Lydford to Castle Cary
21  A361 Frome to Glastonbury
22  B3371 Yoxter
23  B3135 Junction A37 to Cheddar
24  A39 Glastonbury to Boundary
25  A371 Shepton Mallet to Cheddar
26  B3134 Burrington Junction
27  B3135 Miner’s Arms Cross Rds
28  A362 Frome to Radstock

Sedgemoor – A and B roads

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1 A371 Draycott A371 to Axbridge
2 A38 Rooksbridge
3 A370 East Brent to Highbridge
4 A39 Bridgwater Road
5 A361 Taunton Road
6 A38 Dunball Road
7 A39 Cannington
8 A372 Westonzoyland
9 A38 North Petherton
10 B3139 Wedmore
11 B3151 Meare Road
12 B3141 Woolavington

South Somerset – A and B roads

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1 B3168 Ilminster to Curry Rivel
2 A378 Langport to Fivehead
3 A372 Aller to Podimore
4 B3153 Langport to Keinton Mandeville
5 B3151 Compton Dundon to Ilchester
6 B3151 Yeovilton
7 B3165 Somerton to Martock
8 A356 Martock to Crewkerne
9 A30 Yeovil to Chard boundary
10 A3066 Haselbury Plucknett
11 A356 South of Crewkerne
12 B3165 South of Crewkerne
13 B3167 Perry Street to Cricket St Thomas
14 B3162 Winsham
15 A359 Yeovil to Bruton
16 B3148 Marston Magna
17 B3153 Lovington
18 B3081 Bruton to Leigh Common
19 B3081 Wincanton
20 A371 Castle Cary to Templecombe
21 B3081 South of Wincanton
22 B3145 Charlton Horethorne
22 A30 Henstridge
23 A358 Ashill
24 A3088 Cartgate Link
25 A37 Yeovil
26 A358 Ilminster to Tatworth
27 A37 Lydford
28 A37 Dorchester Rd
29 A357 Templecombe

Taunton Deane – A and B roads

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1 B3170 Honiton Road
2 A38 Wellington Relief Road to Chelston
3 B3187 Chelston RB to Wellington
4 A38 Chelston RB to Stone Gallows
5 B3187 Tonedale to Milverton
6 B3227 Venns Cross to Milverton
7 B3188 Elworthy to Wiveliscombe
8 B3227 Milverton to Norton Fitzwarren
9 A3065 Silk Mills
10 B3227 Norton to Cross Keys
11 A358 Cross Keys to Staplegrove PO
12 A358 Minehead Road
13 B3224 Cedar Falls to Willett Hill
14 A3259 Priorswood to Monkton Elm
15 A38 Bridgwater Road to Monkton Elm
16 A361 Durston to Lyng
17 A358 Henlade to Ilminster RB
18 A378 Thornfalcon to Fivehead

West Somerset – A and B roads

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1 Alcombe to Dunster
Red Post to Williton
2 Dunster to Carhampton
Red Post to Williton
3 Carhampton to Bilbrook
Williton to Nether Stowey
4 Bilbrook to Washford Cross
Nether Stowey to Williton
Washford Cross to Williton
5 Washford Cross to Watchet
Watchet to Williton
Washford Cross to Fair Cross
6 Washford Cross to Elworthy Cross
Elworthy Cross to Willett Hill
Elworthy Cross to Pittford Hill
7 Elworthy Cross to Raleighs Cross
Fair Cross to Raleighs Cross
8 Alcombe to Porlock
Porlock to Porlock Weir
9 Dunster to Wheddon Cross
Blue Anchor to Watchet
10 Wheddon Cross to Dulverton
11 Dulverton to Riphay
12 Dulverton to White Cross
13 Wheddon Cross to Exford
Exford to Simonsbath
Simonsbath to Brendon Two Gates
14 Simonsbath to Pinkery Boundary
15 Raleighs Cross to Frogwell Cross
16 Raleighs Cross to Wheddon Cross
Porlock to County Gate
Washford Roundabout (Additional)

Minor roads – order of works

Mendip – Minor roads

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1 Pilton
2 Pylle
3 East Pennard
4 West Pennard
5 North Wootton
6 Walton
7 Street
8 Glastonbury
9 Butleigh
10 Baltonsborough
11 West Bradley
12 Lydford On Fosse
14 Lamyat
15 Ditcheat
16 Sharpham
17 Godney
18 Meare
19 Ston Easton
20 Chilcompton
21 Ashwick
22 Emborough
23 Stoke St Michael
24 Stratton On The Fosse
25 Binegar
26 Doulting
27 Downhead
28 Cranmore
29 Evercreech
30 Milton Clevedon
31 Shepton Mallet
32 Batcombe
33 Upton Noble
34 Wanstrow
35 Witham Friary
36 Trudoxhill
37 Nunney
38 Rodney Stoke
39 Westbury
40 St Cuthbert Out
41 Wells
42 Wookey
43 Priddy
44 Litton
45 Chewton Mendip
46 Croscombe
47 Leigh On Mendip
48 Whatley
49 Mells
50 Great Elm
51 Coleford
52 Holcombe
53 Kilmersdon
54 Buckland Dinham
55 Hemington
56 Lullington
57 Norton St Phillip
58 Tellisford
59 Beckington
60 Berkley
61 Selwood
62 Frome
63 Rode

Sedgemoor – Minor roads

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1 Shipham
2 Axbridge
3 Draycott
4 Cheddar
5 Compton Bishop
6 Chapel Allerton
7 Badgworth
8 East Brent
9 Lympsham
10 Brean
11 Berrow
12 Brent Knoll
13 Burnham Without
14 Burnham and Highbridge
15 West Huntspill
16 Pawlett
17 East Huntspill
18 Mark
19 Weare
20 Burtle
21 Wedmore
22 Ashcott
23 Shapwick
24 Catcott
25 Edington
26 Chilton Polden
27 Cossington
28 Woolavington
29 Puriton
30 Bawdrip
31 Chedzoy
32 Stawell
33 Greinton
34 Moorlinch
35 Middlezoy
36 Westonzoyland
37 Othery
38 Lyng
39 North Newton
40 Thurloxton
41 North Petherton
42 Bridgwater Without
43 Durleigh
44 Cannington
45 Otterhampton
46 Stockland Bristol
47 Fiddington
48 Nether Stowey
49 Over Stowey
50 Spaxton
51 Enmore
52 Broomfield
53 Goathurst
54 Wembdon
55 Chilton Trinity

South Somerset – Minor roads

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1 Aller
2 Curry Rivel
3 Fivehead
4 Curry Mallet
5 Beercrocombe
6 Ilton
7 Isle Brewers
8 Isle Abbotts
9 Puckington
10 Stocklinch
11 Barrington
12 Hambridge and Westport
13 Drayton
14 Langport
15 High Ham
16 Pitney
17 Huish Episcopi
18 Muchelney
19 Kingsbury Episcopi
20 Martock
21 South Petherton
22 Seavington St Mary
22 Shepton Beauchamp
23 Seavington St Michael
24 Lopen
25 Norton Sub Hamdon
26 Montacute
27 Ash
28 Tintinhull
29 Chilthorne Domer
30 Long Load
31 Long Sutton
32 Compton Dundon
33 Somerton
34 Stoke Sub Hamdon
35 Brewham
36 Bratton Seymour
37 Shepton Montague
38 Charlton Musgrove
39 Pen Selwood
40 Stoke Trister
41 Cucklington
42 Henstridge
43 Abbas and Templecombe
44 Horsington
45 North Cheriton
46 Wincanton
47 Milborne Port
48 Holton
49 Maperton
50 Compton Pauncefoot
51 Charlton Horethorne
52 Yarlington
53 Corton Denham
54 North Cadbury
55 South Cadbury
56 Sparkford
57 Rimpton
58 Marston Magna
59 West Camel
60 Queen Camel
61 Mudford
62 Chilton Cantelo
63 Yeovilton
64 Limington
65 Ilchester
66 Kingsdon
67 Charlton Mackrell
68 Kingweston
69 Barton St David
70 Keinton Mandeville
71 Babcary
72 North Barrow
73 South Barrow
74 Lovington
75 Castle Cary
76 Alford
77 Ansford
78 Pitcombe
79 Bruton
80 Barwick
81 Brympton
82 Closworth
83 East Coker
84 West Coker
85 Hardington Mandeville
86 Odcombe
87 Yeovil Without
88 Whitelackington
89 Ashill
90 Broadway
91 Buckland St Mary
92 Combe St Nicholas
93 Whitestaunton
94 Wambrook
95 Horton
96 Donyatt
97 Ilminster
98 Kingstone
99 Dowlish Wake
100 Knowle St Giles
101 Chard Town
102 Chaffcombe
103 Tatworth And Forton
104 Cricket St Thomas
105 Cudworth
106 Chillington
107 Dinnington
108 Hinton St George
109 Chiselborough
110 East Chinnock
111 West Chinnock
112 Merriott
113 Crewkerne
114 West Crewkerne
115 Haselbury Plucknett
116 North Perrott
117 Misterton
118 Wayford
119 Winsham

Taunton Deane – Minor roads

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1 Burrowbridge
2 Creech St Michael
3 Durston
4 Hatch Beauchamp
5 North Curry
6 Orchard Portman
7 Ruishton
8 Stoke St Mary
9 Stoke St Gregory
10 Trull
11 Thornfalcon
12 West Hatch
13 Bishops Hull
14 Bishops Lydeard
15 Bradford On Tone
16 Cheddon Fitzpaine
17 Cotford St Luke
18 Cothelstone
19 Kingston St Mary
20 Norton Fitzwarren
21 Oake
22 Staplegrove
23 West Monkton
24 Ash Priors
25 Ashbrittle
26 Bathealton
27 Chipstable
28 Combe Florey
29 Fitzhead
30 Halse
31 Lydeard St Lawrence
32 Milverton
33 Stawley
34 Tolland
35 Wiveliscombe
36 West Bagborough
37 Bickenhall
38 Churchstanton
39 Corfe
40 Curland
41 Langford Budville
42 Nynehead
43 Otterford
44 Pitminster
45 Sampford Arundel
46 Staple Fitzpaine
47 Wellington
48 Wellington Without
49 West Buckland

West Somerset – Minor roads

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1 Stringston
2 Stogursey
3 Holford
4 Kilve
5 East Quantoxhead
6 West Quantoxhead
7 Monksilver
8 Elworthy
9 Crowcombe
10 Bicknoller
11 Stogumber
12 Sampford Brett
13 Williton
14 Watchet
15 Old Cleeve
16 Withycombe
17 Carhampton
18 Porlock
19 Minehead Without
20 Minehead
21 Nettlecombe
22 Treborough
23 Wooton Courtney
24 Luccombe
25 Luxborough
26 Dunster
27 Timberscombe
28 Selworthy
29 Exford
30 Oare
31 Brushford
32 Dulverton
33 Brompton Regis
34 Winsford
35 Cutcombe
36 Skilgate
37 Huish Champflower
38 Clatworthy
39 Brompton Ralph
40 Upton
41 Exton
42 Withypool
43 Exmoor

Please note, grass cutting may be affected by the weather and the dates may change. Work generally takes place during the day (7 am to 7 pm) with traffic-sensitive routes avoided during peak times.

No road closures are necessary, however, given the travelling speed of machinery required to ensure a good quality cut, minor delays are possible on the smaller lanes.

Hedges and banks

Where there are no verges and the roads are immediately bordered by a bank or hedge, a single vertical swathe of seasonal growth will be cut.

However, the majority of hedges bordering the highway are privately owned. Landowners and occupiers are responsible for maintaining their boundary, except between 1 March and 31 August (bird nesting season), to make sure their hedge, tree or shrub does not obstruct highway users or lines of sight at junctions. Landowners must also remove any debris from the road surface to prevent nuisance and to stop it from blocking surface water drainage systems.

If you spot any dangerous verges or overhanging hedges on the highway network, you can report them online.

Weed treatment

We don’t treat pavements as part of the programme of works. However, under the Noxious Weeds Act 1959, certain noxious weeds, including ragwort, must be removed where they are reported as causing a nuisance to highway users or adjoining landowners. Other invasive species that we treat are Japanese Knotweed, Himalayan Knotweed, Himalayan Balsam and Giant Hogweed.

If you spot any noxious or invasive weeds growing on the highway network you can report them online.

Conservation

When we carry out environmental works we seek to protect wildlife on roadside verges while maintaining road safety.

In late 2018 the Council updated its Somerset Highways Biodiversity Manual and Somerset Pollinator Action Plan which seeks to protect and enhance the amount and quality of pollinator habitat across the county.

This has led to a review of the summer grass-cutting operation and in 2019 only a single 1m swathe of verge was cut, except on specific bends and at junctions where increased visibility is required. The aim was to protect approximately an additional 3km sq of highway verge for wildlife – that’s an area roughly the size of 191 Somerset Cricket Club pitches!

Public Rights of Way

The 2020 vegetation-cutting programme is now underway and focuses on the paths that are most popular and are prone to becoming overgrown. Keeping vegetation under control is all part of keeping the path network safe to use and is achieved through a proactive programme using various contractors and volunteers. This programme is largely proceeding as normal.

Paths will generally receive between 1 and 3 cuts in a season. For those paths that have 2 or 3 cuts per season, the cutting programme will begin around the second half of May subject to the weather and local conditions.

Details of the paths that are cut by contractors, and how often, can be found online at Explore Somerset by selecting the ‘Veg Clearance’ layer from the ‘More Maps’ icon and zooming into and clicking on the path network.

If you encounter any issues whilst out walking, cycling or riding on the path network then these can be reported or checked on Explore Somerset. Further information about using the website can be found at:

Last reviewed: May 15, 2023 by Ian

Next review due: November 15, 2023

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