Malton drivers' safety concerns over high grass on A64 roundabout

Drivers in North Yorkshire have called for grass verges on a busy road to be cut, saying the impact of overgrown foliage on visibility was "dangerous".

Motorists have especially raised concerns over the state of verges at the A64 roundabout at Old Malton, with the grass there over 3ft (1m) high.

Local resident Georgia Chapman said drivers could "not see" traffic travelling around the roundabout.

North Yorkshire Council said the grass would be cut "in the next few days".

Ms Chapman, from Old Malton, said the height of the grass was making it tough for drivers to see what was happening at the roundabout, "especially when you're coming up to the junction, to see what's coming around the corner".

The roundabout was a very busy one, which meant drivers had to be extremely "cautious" due to the current length of the grass, she added.

"It's quite nice to have the greenery around, but it just needs cutting, it's just too long," she said.

Meanwhile, Billy Chapman said he feared the overgrown grass could cause accidents.

He said that while he had liked all the greenery at first, "it's a bit too much now".

"I think it's a problem everywhere, to be honest. Even if you drive towards York the grass is overgrown at the edges," he said.

People have also taken to social media to call on North Yorkshire Council to cut the grass at the roundabout.

One Facebook user suggested that the grass may have been intentionally allowed to grow "to make sure people stop and have a proper look before moving forward".

Another, who said he drove to York every day, suggested it could be a wider issue, claiming "all the verges are like that".

However, one social media user said he was more concerned about insect life on the verges.

"Sadly, there are very few wild areas left these days and a lot of pollinators are reliant on our roadside verges," he said.

Responding to people's worries, Richard Marr, North Yorkshire Council's highways area manager, said: "We always listen to residents' concerns around overgrown grass which is impacting visibility.

"Our grass cutting contractor is in the area and has started their programme this week, which will last until the end of May.

"Please be assured we will cut the area around the roundabout on the A64 in the next few days."

A National Highways spokesperson said: "Safety is always our top priority. Our inspectors check the A64 and other routes across the regional network regularly and arrange for any maintenance and repairs to be carried out as necessary.

"Our team will be visiting the Old Malton roundabout and the A64 in this area and we'll arrange for the area to be made safe and any further maintenance to be carried out as necessary as soon as possible."

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