Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the proposals by Highways England to create wildflower verges on all new large-scale highways projects will take account of differing (1) climatic, (2) geological, and (3) ecological, conditions in different areas of England; and what plans they have to include provision for future management of such verges in ways that conserve their wildflower nature and avoid their being over-run by invasive coarse weeds, including guarantees for the necessary funds.

Highways England’s new approach to low nutrient grasslands will support the creation of new areas of grassland that support greater biodiversity. Any seed mixes used to establish grasslands will be appropriate to the local area of the project and specifications will be determined on a scheme by scheme basis taking account of local climate, geology and ecology.

Low fertility grasslands are expected to reduce maintenance requirements because of reduced vegetation growth, but maintenance will still be required. This will be determined on a plot by plot basis and managed appropriately to maintain low nutrient levels and improved biodiversity. This can be achieved by cutting once a year in late summer and removing the arisings from the grassland plot. This will minimise the risk of coarse weeds becoming established and maintain low soil fertility.