Roadside grass verges across Oxford, the city’s housing estate areas and parks are continuing to be cut throughout July, as part of the Council’s ongoing grass cutting schedule, which started at the beginning of June.
This is due to the exceptional growing conditions that means mowing is taking much longer than usual.
The Council is currently in the process of carrying out its first scheduled cut as part of its two-cut programme for roadside verges in Oxford. This first cut is specifically to help avoid grass creating an obstruction/hazard to pavements, road/cycleways, or buildings.
Mowing is also taking place across Council housing areas in Blackbird Leys, Cutteslowe, Rose Hill and elsewhere.
ODS began its scheduled grass cutting programme on 5 June, and so far, has mown roughly 45% of grass verges across the city, with the focus so far on Blackbird Leys, Marston, Churchill, Northfield Brook, Temple Cowley. All areas will be covered over the next month.
According to the Met Office, the UK had its warmest May and meteorological spring (March, April and May), as well as the wettest 18 month period (October 22 – March 24) since records began in 1836.
Due to these weather conditions, grass across Oxford has grown much higher than usual – which has presented additional resourcing challenges for ODS, as it is more difficult to cut. The weather conditions also meant the ground was waterlogged, so ODS was unable to carry out its scheduled mowing in March and early April in some parks and housing areas.
However, to address these challenges, ODS will be increasing resourcing to carry out grass verge cutting. It is currently expected that this first grass cutting programme will be completed by the end of July. Thereafter, there will be regularly scheduled mowing in parks and estates - with Council housing areas being cut every fortnight.
ODS is continuing to maintain and mow grass verges near junctions and locations where visibility could be impeded. Any resident who is concerned about visibility on a grass verge, can report it on FixMyStreet. The location will then be reviewed by ODS and will be incorporated into scheduled work.
Comment
"Several months of wet weather, followed by an unusually warm Spring has meant that grass across the city – on roadside verges, on our estates and in parks has grown very quickly. ODS has been working hard to get a first cut done everywhere. Though, because of the previously saturated ground which delayed start to mowing in our council housing areas, and the length of grass on verges, the whole process is taking much longer than usual.
“The Council wants to reassure residents that the grass verge cutting programme is still ongoing. ODS are working hard and are taking on additional resources to reach all areas of the city over the coming weeks.
“Once this round of mowing is completed, our estate areas will be cut fortnightly, and verges will be cut back again later in the summer.”
Mish Tullar, Head of Corporate Strategy, Oxford City Council
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