Flying Start for Grass-Cutting Crews: Tackling 1,000 Football Pitches Worth of Greenery
Telford & Wrekin Council’s annual grass-cutting operation is underway, tackling over 6 million square metres of grass - the equivalent of around 1,000 football pitches.
In addition almost a million square metres is also managed as wildflower meadows to promote biodiversity – balancing the need for maintenance while protecting the environment.
Councillor Carolyn Healy, (Lab) Cabinet Member for Neighbourhoods, Planning & Sustainability, said: “Grass cutting on a mass scale such as this is no easy task. From wildflower meadows to football pitches, roadside verges, green spaces and cemeteries, there is no one single approach that fits all and it’s a careful plan that considers the environment, safety and suitability.”
Depending on conditions, the season starts around March and runs until October where crews cut areas anywhere from once a year, up to 30 times a season where needed and is part of the Council's mission to uphold pride in its community.
This vast undertaking is currently on schedule, now entering its third cutting cycle as the borough’s grassed areas are trimmed and tidy or growing in designated areas to encourage wildlife.
With weather conditions prone to change, the teams remain vigilant, adjusting plans as necessary. Councillor Healy added: “This isn’t just a simple maintenance job, it’s one of the biggest tasks of the year, and our teams are on top of it now, but we know the summer months may bring rain. This will affect the schedule, and we’ll adjust it over and over to make it work.
“Residents care about clean and well-maintained neighbourhoods and we are proud to deliver on those expectations. With thousands of visitors too, we’re committed to presenting our borough at its best from closely-mown sports pitches to thriving ecosystems.”
With routes planned every 15 days and the latest state-of-the-art machinery logging real-time data, the Council’s operation features up to the minute diagnostics and the 1.5-tonne specialist machines ensures cut areas look clean and tidy while being cut to an appropriate length.
The Council, which charges the lowest rate of Council Tax in the Midlands, is delivering these investments whilst maintaining much-loved front-line services like free garden waste collections.