Verging on destruction!

A reader has claimed that overzealous verge cutting on the edge of Welshpool has destroyed a large amount of wildflowers, and the authority responsible has said it will investigate.

The mowers have been out cropping the grass at Sarn y Bryn Caled, opposite the wildlife car park just past Coed y Dinas (pictured).

It may look nice, but our reader has complained that the cutters have caused widespread destruction of flowers including cow parsley, cuckoo flower and violets. She also claims wildlife has been affected.

“Why do mowers come out into the countryside and destroy the habitats of the wildlife?” she said, asking to remain anonymous. “No reason whatsoever to mow right up to the base of any hedge destroying the plants and flowers there. This area is not on a main road. It only needs cutting one mower’s width either side of the path, if that.

“It’s a disgusting destruction of wildlife habitats. They seriously need to stop wasting people’s money. These are grass verges not lawns. If it is illegal to dig up wildflowers it should also be illegal to mow off wildflowers.

“There are no visibility issues as it is not even next to the road. Just destruction of the wild flowers has happened.”

The area is the responsibility of the North & Mid Wales Trunk Road Agent for the Welsh Government who told us that they will have another look at their operations in the area after this came to light.

A spokesperson told us: “When the bypass opened some 25+ years ago it received an enhanced cut along its whole length including all junctions. By enhanced I mean more than the usual 1m swath and sight lines that is typical elsewhere along the trunk road network for the first cut of the season. This was reduced some years ago such that only the junctions received an enhanced cut.

“It would appear from your reader’s concerns that we need to visit this further so that we do not needlessly cut down plant species and wild flowers whose growth does not affect sight lines and thus safety for road users.

“I will ask my environmental colleagues to monitor all the junctions along Welshpool Bypass so that the current regime can be changed to reflect a balance between safety and the natural environment.”