Grass cutting

We cut grass to ensure that people can use roads and pavements safely. It is carried out for highway safety reasons rather than to enhance the appearance of the area.

We also have a number of  wildflower meadow areas around the borough which we leave uncut to provide a valuable habitat for insects and pollinators. 

View the grass cutting schedule.

Grass areas we cut

Many of our grass verges are owned by Hertfordshire County Council.

We work with them to cut the grass on:

• highways
• verges
• public open spaces
• parks
• town centres
• memorial gardens.

We do not cut the grass that is on privately owned properties/estates.

How often grass is cut

Grass cutting is dependent on the weather and ground conditions:

• Amenity areas (grass verges, amenity open spaces and the council's communal gardens in housing areas) are cut 12 times a year between March and November. 
• Areas such as town centres are cut 30 times a year, at one or two week intervals.
• Rural highway verges are cut twice a year (a metre strip is cut from the back edge of the kerb or pavement).
• Areas designated as Conservation Grasslands, Wildflower Grasslands, or Ecotones are only cut once a year.

We will not cut the grass if it is too wet and we do not collect grass after it has been cut as this improves the soil. 

The grass is cut by mowers. Any obstacles, including posts, trees, street name plates, will be strimmed around.

Our approach

Changing weather patterns bringing unseasonal wet and warm conditions can lead to grass growing more quickly. In response to this from March 2025 we will be introducing a new approach to how we cut our grass.

This new approach involves dividing the borough into zones.

Dedicated teams will focus on completing all tasks within a specific zone such as grass cutting, strimming, and blowing, before moving to the next zone. 

This approach will also cover play areas and communal residential spaces managed by the council.  

Shrubs and hedges will receive a more thorough cutback to address seasonal growth effectively.

You can keep up to date on grass cutting in the borough by viewing grass cutting schedule.