Wirral council maintains roadside grass verges, hedges, shrubs, flower beds and weeds on council-owned land.

We don’t look after private land as this is the responsibility of the landowner. You should contact the landowner directly with any problems – including private land next to roads or pavements.

How often Wirral Council maintains roadside verges

Area Frequency
Rural Areas (except road junctions and pedestrian paths) Once a year (mid-July to mid-August, subject to weather and flowering conditions)

Flowering plants will provide food and habitat for bees, other pollinating insects and other wildlife.
Rural Areas (road junctions and established pedestrian paths) 4 times a year (between March and October)
Semi Rural Areas 4 times a year (between March and October)
Urban Areas - majority Every 3 weeks (mid-March to October, except during May to June  – every 4 weeks  due to workload from extra growth).

A small number of urban verge areas are cut four times a year.
Hedges Once a year between July and October
Shrub Pruning Carried out during Winter months from November to mid-February (half of shrub beds pruned every other year).
Weed Spraying We apply herbicide to weeds on 3 occasions (May-June, July-August and September-October). This task is very much weather dependant. Every effort will be made to catch up on days lost to bad weather. It takes 7 to 10 days for weeds to start dying off after application of herbicide.
Site-specific landscaping rejuvenation and path edgings Work carried out between October and February

Japanese knotweed

View Wirral Council's policy on the treatment of Japanese knotweed