Decision details

Information presented on the outcome of the alternative techniques to using Glyphosate weed killer for weed control on the highway including opt-out volunteer service, reactive service and Foam spray.

Decision to be taken on future weed maintenance techniques and whether the trials should be rolled on for 2023. 

46.1     The Lead Member considered a report by the Director of Communities, Economy and Transport.

DECISIONS

46.2     The Lead Member RESOLVED to:

(1) Note the feedback, outcomes and challenges from the trials; and

(2) Agree to extend the volunteer streets weed control trial and reactive weed removal trial to include additional roads to further understand the impact of not using Glyphosate on the highway infrastructure.

REASONS

46.3     The Council noted the concerns of Councillors and residents relating to the use of Glyphosate and are committed to finding an alternative means of controlling weed growth, however the Authority must also meet its statutory duty to maintain a safe and usable highway network. At the present time, there is no proven alternative solution that can be effectively used to weed treat a network of over 1,900 miles of road channels and footways.

46.4     Extension of the volunteer streets and reactive streets trials and increasing the number of streets involved, will help to gather more data, monitor the impact and implement lessons learnt to improve the process. This will allow the service to see the full impacts of alternative weed treatment over a number of years and determine how various weed control techniques can best be applied across the network whilst continuing to look for new technologies and methods as they emerge. The Council will continue to use a Glyphosate based herbicide to control weeds across the highway network, alongside the proposed extension of the trial of volunteer streets and reactive streets.

46.5     Due to the cost and practical issues in using foam stream on a large highway network this trial will not be extended any further at this stage.