The Long Newnton Parish Council has recently been granted a Cultivation Licence to permit the on-going maintenance of the grass verges within the village. These verges have historically been "trimmed" periodically by the county council, but this happens infrequently and the verges tend to be left to grow wild for large periods of the year. The granting of the Cultivation Licence allows the village to carry out more frequent maintenance to improve the appearance of the verges through grass cutting and selective planting.

Such maintenance will clearly improve the overall appearance of the village, but there is also research to suggest that it can affect the behaviour of drivers travelling through the village. Well maintained verges reinforce the message that cars are leaving an open road environment and entering an inhabited environment leading to a decrease in traffic speeds. For this reason, the Long Newnton Community Speedwatch Team have been asked to coordinate ongoing maintenance of the verges. This is likely to involve a combination of activity by volunteers and contractors.

If you would like to get involved in this project, or have any suggestions for the Speedwatch team, please contact kev.beck@btinternet.com