Swanley verges and Kent Highways

Many constituents from Swaney have contacted me since early summer about the state of grass verges in the town. There is widespread concern that the town looks messier than before, affecting pride in the area - think of Swanley in Bloom - and residents' amenity. Much (though not all) of this relates to highway verges, and so residents have come to Kent Highways and to me.

For quite some time, Swanley Town Council undertook grass cutting not only for its own spaces but (under contract) for KCC/ Kent Highways and Sevenoaks District Council as well. Back in the spring, the Town Council felt that it was unable to continue this and, for example, the work on highway verges came back to Kent Highways. There is no doubt that the Town Council undertook more cuts than are specified in the regular Kent Highways schedule; they also extended their cuts beyond Kent Highways verges. Add in the growing conditions of a wet spring and early summer, and this explains some of what has happened.

Last week I arranged to meet our local head of soft landscaping and a leading local resident to look around many of the areas of particular concern, especially in the High Firs estate and around Goldsel Road. The picture that we got from this was quite a mixed one. Some unmown verges (for example, between Goldsel Road and Lila Place) belong not to KCC but to the developers of the site. Some were private property; where shrubs obstruct a highway or footpath, Kent Highways will ask the owner to cut them back. We also identified some areas - such as a verge near the top of Pinks Hill, and an overgrown area of shrubs and trees in Station Road - that either are or appear to be in KCC ownership and will be added to the list to be cut back. Another area in Pinks Hill, which has recently been cut, is clearly under the Town Council's ownership.

Early last week also saw one of the eight scheduled 'urban cuts' for verges through the town. Some of those on the edges of town (in London Road, approaching the M25 junction) were not cut and the grass there is high. These, however, are on a different schedule, that for 'visibility splays', which are cut three times a year (and should be followed up this week).

All told, this was a useful visit and established the areas in which Kent Highways can and will take action, and those that are others' responsibility (though as local Member I am always happy to take these matters up with owners, even if it is not something that is KCC's direct responsibility). It is a situation that I will continue to monitor and residents are more than welcome to contact me if they have continuing concerns.