Long grass blamed on wet summer
The wettest summer in 100 years has been blamed for long grass around Bath.
Bath and North East Somerset Council says the unusually wet summer is the reason for some public spaces becoming overgrown this year.
The council said the wet weather had both encouraged growth and prevented cutting.
Roy and Sue Lockert, who live at Melcombe Court at Oldfield Park, contacted the Bath Chronicle after becoming fed up with the long grass at nearby Linear Park.
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The couple had written to B&NES asking them to cut the public grass area. They claimed people living in the area felt it was being ignored by the council and some residents had been forced to start trimming it themselves.
Eventually last month the grass was cut.
Mr Lockert said: "We have to keep on top of the council to cut the grass regularly but we seem to have had some measure of success, hopefully."
Jo McCarron, a Labour Party campaigner who lives in Rudmore Park, also contacted the Chronicle to complain about a public grass area near her home. She said the grass area had got so bad children could no longer play on it.
A spokesman for the council said a combination of one of the wettest summers in 100 years and sunny spells had resulted in the substantial growth of vegetation and grass across the district.
He said: "The council aims to cut most grass areas on a frequency cycle of between two to three weeks, but this has been made incredibly difficult this year by days of torrential rain. In response, we have acquired extra equipment and responded as quickly as possible between torrential rain periods to cut as much grass as possible."
Comments
by Mr_Nemo
Tuesday, September 18 2012, 1:39PM
“I happened to go through Weston this morning and noticed that the grass in the school there was being cut (again), yet the various highway verges which I passed were looking even more unkempt than before. Is BANES trying to grow a bumper crop of silage - how long before we get reports of 'big cats' being seen in the undergrowth?
Has anyone actually seen any Council staff cutting grass anywhere in Bath in the last week????”
by tomsjan
Friday, September 14 2012, 9:11AM
“Maybe in stead of lions and pigs they could try goats? :)”
by Dave_Weston
Wednesday, September 12 2012, 3:45PM
“If you cut the grass often enough, its beneficial not to pick up the cuttings which is partially the point. However if you leave it for 5 weeks then if the point of cutting the grass is to maintain the appearance of the area, leaving 6 inch clumps of dying cuttings all over it somewhat defeats the point. You are right though - trying to dispose of grass cuttings is a pain as it doesn't compost in bulk - that's why regular cutting and "grass cycling" is a better approach.”
by ba2don
Wednesday, September 12 2012, 1:43PM
“Have you actually looked around and seen how many green open spaces there are in bath , the idea of picking up all the clippings is ridiculous ,how long do you think that would take as if its not taking long enough to cit the actual grass itself. And also where would they put this huge mountain of grass that would absolutely stink because I wouldn't want it anywhere near my home. #dumb comment”
by Dave_Weston
Tuesday, September 11 2012, 9:10PM
“@Mr Nemo - a few of these would sort the job! http://tinyurl.com/7cz2hfn The grass cutting equivalent to a solar powered crushing bin.”
by 26sean
Tuesday, September 11 2012, 7:53PM
“@clarysage50
cllr player doesn't own a mower as far as i know”
by Mr_Nemo
Tuesday, September 11 2012, 7:25PM
“Having just read the news item about the new self-compacting waste bins at http://tinyurl.com/bwhbmdf
I wonder if perhaps the answer is for the Council to fit height sensors alongside every verge, which will automatically text the workforce to come and cut the grass once it passes a certain height?”
by clarysage50
Tuesday, September 11 2012, 7:00PM
“Oh dear, council_spoke, you are well and truly in the mire on this one - perhaps you should stop digging that great big hole for yourselves and get CUTTING.........meanwhile, it is interesting to note that our local councillors have remained remarkably quiet on this subject....unless of course they are planning to mount a big grass-picking challenge themselves...well, it will make a change from litter-picking on Saturday mornings, eh??!”
by Mr_Nemo
Tuesday, September 11 2012, 4:33PM
“Council_Spoke says "With reference to the point about schools and other facilities coping with cutting grass in weather, they are able to cut their grass because they have a relatively small area to attend to in between the periods of torrential rain."
So....whoever does the grass cutting in our local schools can manage to cut quite large areas IN THE RAIN, whereas the much smaller roadside verges can not be cut by the Council even in the dry? And while all these Council staff are not cutting the grass because of the rain, what other duties are they performing in the meantime?”
by a1rhellair
Tuesday, September 11 2012, 2:52PM
“"And only a bigger one would take everything so seriously!"
You are probably right.”