§ Mrs. Shirley Williamsasked the Secretary of State for Transport what savings his instructions that grass verges of trunk roads are no longer to be maintained will achieve.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeNo instructions have been issued suspending the maintenance of grass verges of trunk roads. In 1975 the Department issued instructions which called for selective cutting to preserve site lines and to control the growth of certain weeds. We are continuing this policy, partly for reasons of economy, although we cannot calculate the exact savings, but also for nature conservation reasons. I have authorised some extra cutting of verges in urban areas in Merseyside recently as an exceptional measure because of the special conditions there.