£50k cash boost for fast response grass cutting crew

New money helps to fund new reactive team.

More cash has been set aside to tackle safety issues across Leicestershire’s roads and paths.

A total of £50,000 has been allocated for a new team within Leicestershire County Council’s highways unit to react quickly to any immediate safety risks caused by overhanging vegetation.

The council’s 2026 grass cutting programme started in April and the extra staff will work across the county to help keep roads clear and safe.

Each year around 4.1 million square metres of grass – equivalent to 578 King Power Stadium pitches - are mowed each year.

Working across the spring and summer, 18 staff work through their countywide schedule to keep grass, verges and vegetation neat, tidy and safe across highways and rural and urban areas.

Councillor Andrew Hamilton-Gray, cabinet member for highways and transport said;

“Keeping grass trimmed during spring and summer does more than simply make our county look tidier – it’s essential for safe driver visibility and keeping signs clear.

“Our hardworking grass cutting gangs do a fantastic job throughout the season and putting in this extra money enables us to tackle urgent cutting jobs as speedily as possible.

“We want residents to be our eyes and ears. If you see anything that’s unsafe, tell us so we can get our new crew to help.”

The money is coming from a £2.5m ‘service improvement fund’ which is investing more in local bus services, grit bins, footpath maintenance, grass cutting and weed control.

An interactive map is available to see where and when grass is set to be cut, with the season ending in October.

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Leicestershire County Council News