HAMPSHIRE Highways is trialling new robotic grass cutters as the annual cutting programme gets under way.

Rob Humby, Hampshire County Council’s executive member for environment and transport, said: “Grass cutting is an important part of our annual highways maintenance programme as good visibility is vital for all those using the road to maintain clear lines of sight.

“We are always looking at how we can harness technology to improve what we do – whether it’s a more cost-effective, quicker or more efficient way to carry out highways maintenance. In this case, using a robotic grass cutter means that less cones and other traffic management measures are needed on the roads, so disruption to traffic should be minimised.”

Matthew Riches, contractor Skanska’s business director at Hampshire Highways, added: “The robotic cutters use smart technology to navigate around obstacles and pre-set boundaries. This means they can be used in areas where traffic travels at higher speeds and where it would be more dangerous for our workers to operate, keeping them safer.”

Hampshire County Council manages around 5,500 miles of road and 2,000 miles of roadside verges. Grass and foliage is cut once a year on rural roads, with swathes cut back to one or two metres depending on location, with urban verges cut more often. Grass will also be cut back if it causes a safety risk because of reduced visibility.

Hampshire Highways takes extra care to manage more than 200 roadside verges of ecological importance in the county. Verge cutting is also timed to manage designated verges which have identified rare flower species.

Mr Humby continued: “As I’m sure gardeners across Hampshire are well aware, the combination of warm and wet weather we’ve had recently has resulted in rapid growth. Hampshire Highways teams are out around the county ensuring that roadside verges are cut back to improve visibility and safety for everyone who uses the roads.”