00642 Verges Booklet - Devon County Council

Special Verges
There are many special verges identified within Devon where flora and
fauna of local or national interest exist.The policy identifies the need
to limit grass cutting during specified protection periods and protect
these verges from other damaging activities. Where practical, further
management measures will be undertaken to conserve and enhance
the verge.
A comprehensive survey of special verges
has recently been undertaken and this will
provide essential information to enable these
sites to be managed more effectively.This is
an objective of Devon’s Biodiversity Action
Plan.Appropriate verges that are within Sites of Special Scientific Interest
(SSSI) are also being identified in partnership with English Nature.
Where Parish Councils or other interested
bodies identify any lengths of verge in their
area whose visual quality warrants
protection, the Parish Council or local
association will be asked whether they are
willing and able to undertake the work
involved in its management before the
verge is treated as a special verge.This will
help to ensure that the County Council can properly inspect and
manage all special verges to the standards required by their status.
To assist grass cutting and other operations when working in the
vicinity of special verges, the location of each verge should be denoted
by the erection of a small timber post and metal identification plate at
each end of the site, as shown at Appendix D. However, in areas where
the post and plate is regularly stolen, a timber post with a red top is
now installed.
Within the boundary of any National Park, the location of special
verges should be denoted by the installation of two metal studs at the
edge of the carriageway unless permission is obtained from the
National Park Officer to use the post and plate.