How we look after shrubs and hedges

As part of Kents Plan Bee Pollinator Action Plan we are identifying ways we can enhance biodiversity and conservation while balancing the important need to keep our highways safe for all users.

Maintaining shrubs

We prune and weed shrub beds once each year between mid-May and February. Shrubs are trimmed to allow for next year's growth, and to ensure that the highway is safe to use. This includes cutting back from kerb edges, path edges and nearby fences.

Over the spring and summer months, weeds may grow within the shrub beds. We will remove these on the annual maintenance visit, unless they are causing an issue to the highway.

Find out if we maintain the shrubs near you by using our online reporting tool.

If the shrubs are not maintained by us, it is likely to be either district council, parish council or housing association.

Maintaining hedges

We trim urban hedges once each year usually during the autumn and winter months to help avoid disturbing nesting birds. To deal with highway safety issues or to prevent obstruction of footpaths and roads, we trim some hedges during the summer months, carefully checking the hedge for nesting birds before we start.

We identify berry holding hedges, which we cut in summer to see if we can delay cutting to the winter while making sure we keep the roads and footpaths safe for users and clear of vegetation obstruction.

Hedges are trimmed to remove seasonal growth and allow for next year's growth to ensure the highway is safe to use. This includes cutting back from kerb edges, path edges and where we can, nearby fences. We will cut seasonal growth on top of the hedge if we have maintained the hedge top in previous years. Where we have not previously maintained the hedge top, we will only face up the hedge sides away from the footpath or road and will allow the hedge to reach their natural height.

How we cut back hedges and shrubs

Watch our video to see how our highways staff cut back hedges and shrubs safely.

Bus routes

Buses are an important part of Kent’s transport network. Under the Highways Act, property owners have a responsibility to keep vegetation on their property under control, to ensure safe passageway for buses and other vehicles.

Watch our video and find out how we maintain our standards of bus route clearances.

Privately owned hedges and shrubs

Most hedges, especially rural ones, are privately owned and are on property boundaries. These are the sole responsibility of the adjacent landowner. Read our advice for cutting back your hedge or requesting our support to ask another resident to cut back theirs.