York council’s grass growing initiative has led to a litter-strewn mess in one area of the city according to campaigners.
Under a trial scheme called Buzz About York some grass verges are left to grow to promote biodiversity.
The central reservation of Hull Road opposite B&Q was selected as one of the locations.
But by the time the grass came to be cut, it was filled with cans, bottles and other rubbish. This was then shredded by the mower, Liberal Democrat campaigners Andrew Mortimer, Danielle Mason and Caleb Pell say.
Badger Hill resident Andrew volunteers to litter pick in the area. He said “The arrangements put in place for the trail this year have not worked well.
“If you drive along Hull Road you will clearly see the mess opposite B&Q where the shredded litter has been left, but further down where we are able to remove the litter it is so much better.”
Caleb said: “This area is an absolute mess. Re-wilding, or whatever name you give it, is not an excuse for cutting costs.
“You still have to look after the area and in this case before the grass was cut the litter should have been removed. We are calling on the council to look again at this trial.
“We can’t afford for the same thing to happen again next year especially as the re-wilding schemes develop in the city centre.”
Provide habitats
Council environmental services head Ben Grabham said its teams were set to visit Hull Road this week to clear up the rubbish.
He said: “Our usual process for mowing in the city is that our teams will pick up any easily identifiable litter before mowing.
“For the trial areas, the ability to litter pick before a cut is limited due to the length of plants.
“Where this is the case, we schedule a litter pick after the cut to collect any items that have been disposed of in the verges.”
Labour’s Cllr Baxter said efforts to promote wildlife on the verge went back years and had been supported by the Liberal Democrats while they were in the council administration.
The ward councillor said: “Obvious items of litter should of course be collected either prior or soon after mowing has taken place.
“It’s clear from their tone that Liberal Democrat activists don’t support the efforts of their councillor colleagues and those of other councillors committed to protecting the city’s future, nor in the council becoming more efficient, this is unfortunate.”
The Hull Road verge was among those chosen for the Buzz About York project which launched in May.
Grass and plants are left to grow during summer before being cut in autumn as part of the trial.
The council’s spokesperson said it aimed to provide habitats for insects and wildlife and reduce CO2 emissions in line with its climate emergency declaration.