Grass verge management

We manage the majority of grass highways, as part of a service carried out on behalf of and paid for by Oxfordshire County Council. Grass verges in the city are mown by ODS on our behalf. 

In 2023, Oxfordshire County Council introduced a new verge maintenance policy, which resulted in grass verges in Oxford being cut once a year.  

Now, following significant public feedback and budget approval in February 2025, Oxford City Council will be funding two additional cuts for the majority of verges across the city, alongside the single cut paid for by Oxfordshire County Council. 

Grass cutting schedule 2025

Roadside grass verges 

Roadside grass verges across Oxford will now be cut at least three times a year, with the first cut to take place no later than the end of April/early May. This year (2025), the first scheduled cut is expected to start the week of 24 March.   

The exact timing of the three cuts will be subject to weather conditions and rainfall throughout the spring and summer - which can influence how fast grass grows.  

The grass cuttings will be left on verges, however the more frequent cutting schedule should reduce the size of cuttings.  

We will continue to mow grass verges near junctions where visibility is required all year round. Residents can report their concerns about grass verges impacting visibility, on FixMyStreet.   

Biodiversity verges 

The exceptions to this approach will be nine grass verges that have been identified as biodiversity habitats, following an ecological assessment.  

• Abberbury Road Roundabout  
• Abingdon Road: Large verges adjacent to Redbridge Paddock 
• Church Cowley Road: The bank along the outside of Rose Hill Cemetery 
• Eastern Bypass Central Reservation 
• Grenoble Road: Verges along the open field side of this road, from the roundabout junction with Guelder Road (by the Kassam Stadium) down to the roundabout junction with Watlington Road 
• Green Road: The verges along the Risinghurst side of the Green Road adjacent to the Eastern Bypass up to the Risinghurst Turn
• Marston Ferry Road: The verges along the western side of the road (Swan School side), from the junction with Cherwell Drive up to the River Cherwell   
• Oxford Road, New Marston: Central reservation from the junction with Rippington Drive to the junction with Cherwell Drive 
• Sunderland Avenue: The verges along both sides  

These biodiversity grass verges will only be mown once a year in September and the cuttings removed (‘cut and collect’ to suppress grass growth and create the ground conditions favoured by wildflowers). 

Parish Council owned verges 

Some verges in Oxford fall under the responsibility of the local Parish councils (Blackbird Leys, Marston, Littlemore, Risinghurst and Sandhills).  

Parish councils may choose to fund additional cuts beyond the three cuts per year. 

Communal gardens and parks 

Grass in parks, and green spaces, and communal gardens are cut on a separate schedule to grass verges.  
Grass in parks and green spaces are cut eight times a year, along with additional litter picking at peak times. Football and playing pitches in parks are maintained as short grass for sports matches during the football season from August until the end of May. 

Communal gardens in Council homes will be cut fortnightly between March and October – subject to weather conditions. 

Other ways we support biodiversity 

There are many ways that we are working to support biodiversity across Oxford, including: 

• Dead wood habitats in parks and green spaces 
• Informal long grass in selected areas of parks and nature areas 
• Tree planting across the city 
• Community orchards