Closed
Complaint Regarding Unmaintained Grass and Rubbish on Roadside Verges
Sent to National Highways less than a minute later. FixMyStreet ref: 7472151.
I am writing to express my concern regarding the poor maintenance of roadside verges along the entrance of Ebbsfleet Green and the roundabout. The grass has been left to grow excessively, and a significant amount of rubbish has accumulated along the verge, creating an unsightly and potentially hazardous environment for both drivers and pedestrians.
This lack of maintenance not only affects the appearance of the area but also poses safety risks, including reduced visibility at junctions and a greater chance of litter being blown onto the carriageway. It also discourages local residents and visitors who expect our roadsides to be kept to a reasonable standard.
I respectfully request that National Highways take prompt action to address this issue by scheduling grass cutting and litter clearance for the affected area. I would also appreciate confirmation of when this will take place and what measures will be implemented to prevent such neglect in the future.
Regards ,
Daniel
Updates
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Thank you for your report.
Our team inspected this location on 24 April 2025 and confirmed:
• There is no vegetation that is causing an issue or safety concern at this junction currently. Whilst the vegetation isn't at ground level, it is not causing an issue. • The sight line at both roundabouts for joining or exiting the roundabouts is clear (mainly concrete islands with no vegetation on them). • The only vegetation that has been identified as mildly overgrown is on the eastbound exit side roundabout and is at waist height. Also, it is on the roundabout itself which is not causing a sight line issue, and this location is a traffic light-controlled roundabout which limits any potential issues. • There is limited litter in the area, with a few small areas of litter identified, but nothing that exceeds the levels outlined by the Defra Code of Practice system. • With the exception of 4 bags of household waste that has recently appeared at the junction, and that we’ll arrange to remove, no further action or work will take place at this location currently.
Please note: Any allocated funds we receive are prioritised for safety and essential work like carriageway and infrastructure defects. Since litter removal is costly, we’ll combine it with other maintenance tasks overtime whenever possible. While this approach may lead to delays, leaving litter roadside longer than our customers would prefer, it minimises the frequency of disruptions.
We manage an extensive road network across the south of England. When recurring litter hotspots exceed the levels set by the Defra Code of Practice (Grades A to D), we’ll instruct our maintenance partners to prioritise clearing them outside our usual yearly cyclical maintenance.
Like litter, vegetation maintenance follows a yearly cycle, ensuring necessary locations are addressed at least once per year. Additional work is carried out only if a site requires more frequent attention or poses a safety risk. Unfortunately, vegetation that may be considered cosmetically unsightly won’t warrant extra maintenance.
We’ll continue to monitor the area through regular inspections. Should any safety issues arise, we’ll arrange for remedial work to take place.
Kind Regards
National Highways
This report is now closed to updates from the public. You can make a new report in the same location.