Grass cutting

We cut the grass between March and October on land we own, such as:

• highway verges
• parks and green spaces
• playing fields
• cemeteries
• Derby Homes housing areas

This ensures the safe use of the city's roads, pavements, parks and open spaces.

We don't cut the grass on:

• Some main roads that are maintained by the Highways Agency:
  • A38
  • A516 from the City Hospital Roundabout to the city boundary heading towards Etwall
  • A52 from Raynesway to the city boundary at Spondon
  • A5111 Raynesway, from its junction with the A52 to its junction with new A6 Alvaston bypass
  • A6 Alvaston bypass from the above junction to the city boundary.
• Privately owned sites.

How often will the grass be cut?

How often we cut the grass varies according to the type of land. For example, sports pitches need more frequent cutting. Most parks and open spaces along with cemeteries will be cut up to six times from April.

Most grass verges will be cut approximately six times. A small number of verges are only cut between one and four times a year. These are usually very busy roads, such as the A52 from the Pentagon Island to the city boundary at Raynesway. Here, cutting the grass involves setting up road works and disrupting traffic, so we do it as little as possible.

Areas of some parks are set aside for wildflowers or young trees and may not be cut as often or not at all. The grass may not be cut as often if we have a very dry spell as the grass doesn’t grow as quickly.

Why don't you sweep up the cuttings after mowing?

If we did this we would need extra staff and it would cost more. As we cut most areas regularly the grass does not grow very long, so leaving the cuttings doesn’t usually cause problems.

Why don't you use mowers that collect the grass?

Mowers that collect cuttings cost more to buy and run and are slower. They are normally only used on formal park areas, cricket squares or bowling greens. The grass collection boxes need regular emptying so it would cost a lot more to collect and transport the cuttings.

Why don't you cut or strim the grass at the base of trees and obstacles?

On some grassed areas our mowers aren't able to cut close enough to trees and bases of obstacles so we apply an approved herbicide around trees and obstacles, usually twice each year. In some cases, depending on the weather, the effect of the herbicide does not last as long as usual so we may do some strimming as well. We try not to strim round the base of trees too much as it can damage the bark and even kill the tree in some cases.

Why don't you mow the bulb foliage after they have finished flowering?

It's good practice not to cut down the foliage of faded flowering bulbs. They should be left for around six weeks after flowering. This allows them to produce new bulbs the following year. We mow around the bulb areas until they have died back, usually around the middle of June.

Do you clear up litter before cutting the grass?

Where we can, we try to co-ordinate with street cleaning to ensure large amounts of litter are removed before we mow.

The mowers start working early in the morning and are noisy. Can't it be done later in the day?

We do sometimes start the mowing work early in the day before the parks become busy. It reduces safety risks to members of the public. Bowling greens and golf courses have to be cut early to be ready for people to use throughout the day.

Why do you cut the grass in the rain?

We have a lot of grass to cut and a very tight schedule. Unless conditions are very bad we cut the grass in all weathers. Grass is very resilient and quickly recovers from minor smearing or surface damage.

What if there's a grass cutting issue?

Please report any issues and give us as much detail as possible.

What if a hedge needs cutting?

We are responsible for maintaining hedges on our land and public highways.

If a hedge we maintain needs cutting, please complete our hedges and shrubs form.

If the hedge is on private property, the owner must maintain it.