Under the Weed Act 1959, enforcement action may be taken on the occupier of land on which injurious weeds are growing, requiring the occupier to take action to prevent their spread.

The 5 injurious weeds specified in the Weed Act are:

• common ragwort
• spear thistle
• creeping or field thistle
• broad leaved dock
• curled dock

The Weed Act was amended by the Ragwort Control Act of 2003. We seek to comply with the Department for Environment and Rural Affairs Code of Practice on how to prevent the spread of ragwort.

Both Japanese knotweed and giant hogweed are dealt with under the provisions of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. We have an ongoing programme to control Japanese knotweed on our land.

How we control weeds on streets and pathways

Weeds can grow in between pavements and at the roadside, and can affect the amenity of our towns, but also reproduce and grow quickly, causing damage to drains, pavement and road surfaces if not kept under control. The most efficient way to tackle this is by undertaking a borough-wide treatment programme.

Chemical weed control is widely accepted to be the best method of weed control growing in roads and pavements. The main reasons being that manual removal is very labour intensive, it only provides short-term results and can cause damage to the pavement surface. The herbicide used is only effective against weeds that it comes into contact with, absorbing through the growth that is visible above ground level causing it to die. Weeds will eventually 'die-back' and the residue is removed through routine scheduled street cleaning.

When we treat

Weed control is undertaken by a specialist, qualified staff and contractors in accordance to manufacturer’s instructions.

Using a suitable herbicide, similar to ordinary garden weed killer. Conditions should be dry and calm when spraying the herbicide and wet weather may delay the treatment or make it less effective in some areas.

Applications are generally undertaken via knap-sacking (use of a backpack containing the specialist herbicidal treatment) or via some road sweepers.

How we treat

We undertake the treatment programme twice per annum (usually March-July and August-November) subject to weather conditions. Once sprayed, die-back will occur within 14 days, before the residue is removed through routine street cleaning activities.

Residents are encouraged to support weed removal by removing weeds along their boundary walls and the footpaths outside their homes.

How we use glyphosate

We strive to keep our pathways free from weeds and ensure they're accessible to all residents. To do this, we use a weed killer containing glyphosate, which is approved by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). 

The weed killer is used only by trained professionals and in a diluted form. Specialist equipment ensures that it is only applied directly to the weeds and not spread unnecessarily across pavements, tree pits or other plants.

Glyphosate is regulated approved herbicide, considered safe to use across the world and used by local authorities all over the country. The EU reapproved it for use for another 10 years in December 2023.

Moss

Significant moss growth occurs in winter, although build-up can happen during any wet period or in shady, damp or wet areas. Herbicide treatments for moss have become less effective, more expensive and require repeat treatments. For this reason, we do not have the resources to treat moss in this way.