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SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

Monday, January 16, 2012

MOTION NO. 7

MOTION: Councillor E. Higgins

That the Manager outline best practice in terms of grass cutting responsibilities, in particular with reference to grass verges along minor and national roads.

REPORT:

The Council receives an annual grant  from the National Roads Authority  to carry out ordinary maintenance of the national routes. This grant is provided to meet the cost of all road repairs, signage/ barrier replacement and repairs and other general maintenance  including the cutting of grass on the margins and the medians.

The majority spend of the grant is prioritised to safety issues and the remainder on grass cutting. While every effort is made to maximise the percentage of the grant that might be made available for grass cutting, in practise this normally allows for 1 or 2 cuts of the verges and central margins on an annual basis. The Council is in ongoing discussion with the National Roads Authority regarding the adequacy of the allocation  taking into account the working environment on  these major roads and the health and safety obligations attaching to this work.  Should additional grant aid be made available by  the NRA then arrangements will be  put in place to introduce a more frequent cutting regime for the national network.

On an annual basis there is a limited programme of hedge / ditch cutting along minor roads particularly in rural parts of the County. This work is carried out at certain times of the year outside of the nesting season.