Road verges - ecological protection scheme

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Dear Madam

Thank you for your request shown below. The green infrastructure
associated with our highways is managed by our Landscape Services
Division. We do not run an environmental protection scheme as such but we
do manage sites that have a high ecological value accordingly.

A variety of management operations are undertaken in relation to this
green infrastructure including the mowing of grass verges. Cutting
frequencies are determined by safety considerations, aesthetics and the
impact on wildlife. For example certain grassland areas of the highway
estate are not cut at certain times of the year because wildflower's such
as orchids grow at these locations. These areas are cut after the plants
have seeded.

The three most notable sites on our Highway network that are managed to
promote wildflowers are the two Roundabouts at the Clifton Junction with
the M56 (J12) and the Central Expressway/Halton Linkway Roundabout.

I hope this answers your question but if you would like to know more
please feel free to contact me.

Request: Dear Sir or Madam,

If you run an ecological protection scheme for road verges in your
area, please could you provide me with the following details:

a) what protection measures a verge receives when it is included in
the scheme

b) the list of verges covered by the scheme (and their locations -
road name/number and six figure OS grid references would be fine)

c) for each verge, the specific reasons why the verge has been
included in the scheme - i.e. the notable species found there, or
the NVC community present

If you do not run such a scheme in your area, but you are aware
that another body does, please could you refer me to them instead.

Many thanks,

Susan Davis
Received: 07/03/09

Regards

Paul Wright CMgr PG Dip
Landscape Services Divisional Manager
Halton Borough Council, Picow Farm Depot, Runcorn, WA7 4UB
Tel: 01928 583919
Fax: 01928 583910
E-mail: [email address]

Your local park...what would make it better?
www.greenstat.org.uk

Important Notice:
This message is intended for the indicated addressees only and may be confidential. If this message has come to you in error you must take no action based on it, nor must you copy or show it to anyone; Please inform us immediately.
** Please note that this message has been created in the knowledge that Internet e-mail is not a 100% secure communication medium. We strongly advise that you bear this in mind and act on it when sending or receiving e-mail.
** This communication does not, unless expressly indicated by the sender in the body of the message, create or modify any contract
** Although this e-mail and its attachments are believed to be clear of any virus, it is the responsibility of the recipient to ensure that the message does not carry any virus.
**Halton Borough Council does not accept liability for any statements made which are clearly the senders own personal views and are not expressly made on behalf of Halton Borough Council.
** The information contained in this email may be subject to public disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 or other legal duty. Unless the information is legally exempt from disclosure, the confidentiality of this email AND YOUR REPLY cannot be guaranteed.

Dear Susan

Sorry about the delay in my reply put I have had a picture taken of one of
the notable species, Fritillaria meleagris (Snakeshead Fritillary), which
can be found at Grid Reference SJ534806.

<<Fritillaries in Halton.JPG>>
The other two Highway sites that I mentioned are at Grid Reference

SJ530797 and SJ535795

At these sites can be found, Ophrys apifera (Bee Orchid), Dactylorhiza
fuchsii (Common Spotted Orchid) and Dactylorhiza praetermissa (Southern
Marsh Orchid).

With regards to other sites that we manage for their ecological value
could I suggest that you look at our Nature in Halton Webpages, I attach a
clink for you.

[1]http://www2.halton.gov.uk/nature/content...

If I can be of any more help please do contact me.

Regards

Paul Wright CMgr PG Dip
Landscape Services Divisional Manager
Halton Borough Council, Picow Farm Depot, Runcorn, WA7 4UB
Tel: 01928 583919
Fax: 01928 583910
E-mail: [email address]

Your local park...what would make it better?
www.greenstat.org.uk

Important Notice:
This message is intended for the indicated addressees only and may be confidential. If this message has come to you in error you must take no action based on it, nor must you copy or show it to anyone; Please inform us immediately.
** Please note that this message has been created in the knowledge that Internet e-mail is not a 100% secure communication medium. We strongly advise that you bear this in mind and act on it when sending or receiving e-mail.
** This communication does not, unless expressly indicated by the sender in the body of the message, create or modify any contract
** Although this e-mail and its attachments are believed to be clear of any virus, it is the responsibility of the recipient to ensure that the message does not carry any virus.
**Halton Borough Council does not accept liability for any statements made which are clearly the senders own personal views and are not expressly made on behalf of Halton Borough Council.
** The information contained in this email may be subject to public disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 or other legal duty. Unless the information is legally exempt from disclosure, the confidentiality of this email AND YOUR REPLY cannot be guaranteed.

References

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1. http://www2.halton.gov.uk/nature/content...