THE huge financial cuts to public services being implemented by Devon County Council has affected the cutting of grass verges bordering the county's highways.

With a combination of hot weather, abundant sunshine and showers, the grass verges and hedgerows along West Devon's roadways have sprouted rapidly in recent weeks, with some overhanging the highway.

But with the county already under pressure to cut millions of pounds fromits budget, plus another £30-million a year for the next two years, the trimming of grass is one of the services which has suffered.

Former Tavistock Town Council and West Devon Borough Councillor Ted Sherrell, among others, has voiced his concern over the height of vegetation on the so-called 'rural gateway' between Whitchurch and Grenofen.

The road was altered for traffic calming purposes some years ago by the county council.

Mr Sherrell said: 'The fact that the grass verges at the Rural Gateway are so high — thus dangerous in terms of traffic movement — adds insult to injury.

'This abomination was foisted on the town contrary to the wishes of most residents and councillors alike; the gateway serves no purpose — rather it creates problems of traffic flow where none existed previously.

'To forsake, as now is the case, the essential cutting of the grass in the interests of visibility and safety makes the actions of County Highways even more unacceptable.'

The verges along the A386 Roborough to Yelverton are also very overgrown.

One noticeable exception where the grass has been trimmed is Yelverton roundabout.

Debbie Ashton, the parish clerk for Buckland Monachorum Parish Council, told the Times the parish council was responsible for the roundabout and that it was fortunate to have a local business which sponsors its maintenance.

She said: 'The parish council funds are small via the council taxpayer and when it comes to verge maintenance there is only so much we can do.

'If parishioners are concerned about grass or hedge growth causing a problem with visibility or covering traffic signs or drivers having difficulty coming out of a road junction, then they can contact us and we would be happy to signpost them towards Devon County Council.'

Okehampton Town Councillor Christine Marsh said that she had noticed more growth along the highway verges in the Okehampton area 'to some degree' but understood the county council's policy for less roadside maintenance due to its financial constraints.

She said:?'People are used to such work being carried out regularly by the county council, but times have changed. In many places, verges along the road would be left as long grass, but now we have so much traffic on the road.

'Drivers are no longer willing to take time to come out of a junction, there's not so much courtesy for fellow motorists, everybody is in a rush.

'In the past farmers used to cut roadside hedges in their community and pick it up, now they just flail it and leave it.'

Cllr Marsh said she was encouraged there were some village communities and local farmers willing to do such work themselves, such as Bridestowe and Sourton where they employed a parish lengthsman.

Cllr Stuart Hughes, Devon County Council cabinet member for highway management, said: 'As a result of the multi-million pound austerity cuts that have been forced on us, there is not enough funding to deliver the same level of service that there has been in the past, which means we're having to ask communities to do more to help themselves.

'We have consulted on our approach to grass cutting, which is to do the minimum safe amount. Where grass is causing a safety issue obscuring signs on the A386, the locations have been reported and cutting will be taking place within the next seven days. The rural minor road grass cutting programme is in progress and the issue at the rural gateway will be addressed as part of the programme.

'We have enabled self help where it is a community priority to do more and our self help scheme has been made available through the town and parish council network and details are on our website.

'Volunteers, who can be nominated by town and parish councils, would receive training from Devon County Council and would act as the primary point of contact between the local community and Devon County Council.

'We would ensure they are appropriately trained and registered in order to be covered by the County Council's public liability insurance to carry out minor work on the highway such as weed clearance, sign cleaning and grass cutting.'

If you wish to contact Devon County Council regarding dangerous verges, go to new.devon.gov.uk/roadsandtransport