Council chiefs visit Derbyshire pilot site for road verge biodiversity project

The verge, at the junction of Summer Lane and Derby Road, used to be mowed six times a year. Now it is only being mowed later in the year and the grass cuttings removed so that any local species are given the opportunity to flower and produce seeds.

It is one of a number of sites which Derbyshire Dales District Council has been managing on behalf of the county highways department, together with community environmental group Wilder Wirksworth, since launching the initiative three years ago.

Councillor Barry Lewis, leader of Derbyshire County Council, said: “In UK we have lost 97 per cent of our wildflower meadows since the 1930s. The loss of traditional wildflower meadows is profoundly connected to the biodiversity crisis we are now facing. So we want to do all we can to protect wildflower meadows, and our pilot project is looking to do just that.

“As highways authority our duty is to ensure that the roads are safe and accessible for all, and we need to balance the needs of nature with making sure we are not reducing visibility, which we think this pilot project does do.”

The project is gathering evidence and information which will help councillors to make an informed decision about a new policy for county-wide highway verge management later this year.

A plant survey conducted last year by the district council identified 28 different species of wildflower in the grass verge on Summer Lane – an increase of 16 new species from the 12 plants identified in July 2021.

Councillor Peter Slack, the district’s deputy leader and a member of the Wilder Wirksworth, said: “We have welcomed the opportunity to work with the county council and community groups across the Dales to promote and nurture wildflower displays, creating a valuable source of pollen and nectar for native pollinators.

“We have prepared 110 biodiversity sites this year on road verges and also in open spaces we manage. And there’s more to come. We are absolutely committed to further enhance biodiversity in the district's varied landscape with more rewilding.”

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