Carmarthenshire farmers are being reminded of their responsibilities for keeping our roads clear of mud and hedge trimmings during the busy autumn season.
Agriculture plays a key role in supporting Carmarthenshire’s economy and with one of the largest rural road networks in Wales – providing important access linking rural market towns, villages and settlements – the highway is often used by farmers tending to adjacent land.
Carmarthenshire County Council has produced a handy guide setting out the roles and responsibilities of both the Highway Authority, Carmarthenshire County Council, and adjacent land-owners.
Anyone working or travelling on the public highway has a duty of care to ensure they do not endanger other road users.
The guide explains the responsibilities around a range of related issues including road safety, roadside hedges and trees, highway verges, roadside ditches and grips, mud on the highway and Public Rights of Way.
In particular during autumn months, farmers are being asked to take extra care to ensure they do not track mud onto the highway as it could cause accidents, block drains and gulleys, and be a nuisance to other road users.
If mud is tracked onto the highway it should be cleaned off as soon as possible and warning signs put in place until the road is clean. If necessary the council can take steps to clean highways and recover costs.
Care should also be taken during hedge trimming – branches and twigs should be cleared off the road to avoid endangering road users, in particular cyclists and animals, and to avoid issues such as blocked drains.
“Cllr Hazel Evans, Executive Board Member for Environment, said: “We thank our farming community for all their hard work, especially after such a difficult year and in these often torrential autumn conditions. We’re proud of our relationship with our agricultural sector, which is a vital element of our local economy. By working together we can support this industry and continue to maintain a safe highway network for all road users. We’re pleased to offer this comprehensive guide for landowners who work alongside our road network, and at this time of year have highlighted some important elements such as mud and hedge trimmings which we hope will be useful.”
ADJACENT LANDOWNERS AND THE PUBLIC HIGHWAY – A GUIDE TO ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES (1MB PDF)
Help keep news FREE for our readers
Supporting your local community newspaper/online news outlet is crucial now more than ever. If you believe in independent journalism, then consider making a valuable contribution by making a one-time or monthly donation. We operate in rural areas where providing unbiased news can be challenging. Read More About Supporting The West Wales Chronicle
