Weeds flourished due to weather and timing

Over the last two weeks I have received several complaints concerning weed growth on highways and pavements.

As many of your readers will have similar concerns, I felt that an explanation was due.

It takes four weeks to treat all surfaces in the borough, and this is done twice a year, normally in April/May and September.

This is followed up with mechanical cleansing and manual scraping for dead weeds over two inches in height.

This year we decided to carry out the first spray earlier so that it would have been completed before any Jubilee events took place.

This has meant that the second weed spray started early at the end of July and will finish towards the end of August.

This spring was cool and dry this year and the earlier treatment was not as effective as we expected because a large percentage of weeds had not germinated.

The summer so far has been hot and dry which whilst bad for grass. has been very good for weeds.

So, a plan which worked for the Jubilee has not worked for the remainder of the summer.

Next year we will return to the normal pattern, and we will also consider that we may need to increase to three times a year to cope with the warming climate.

My apologies to all and if you have specific concerns do, please use the report It function on our website.

Cllr DAVID COPPINGER Cabinet member for environmental services, parks, countryside and

Maidenhead