15th March 2007, 07/94
Spring spruce for unsightly weeds
Unsightly weeds are being blitzed by the District Council in its
battle to keep West Lancashire clean.
Spring usually marks the start of the growth of these nuisance wild
plants when the warmer months come in.
Not only do they spoil the look of the district but also they can
cause a build-up of silt and soil, which in turn blocks both drains
and gulleys. With heavy rain, flooding can quickly occur, which in
turn causes hazards for both pedestrians and motorists.
To combat the problem the Council has started its first round of
weed spraying to kill them off before the district becomes
overgrown with them.
Works have started to target major roads throughout the towns and
villages, together with housing estates and footpaths that suffer
from the problem.
This first programme actually incorporates an application of a
residual type of weed spray where appropriate and a further spray
of a contact type of weed spray, which means that it should be
strong enough to keep them at bay for longer periods.
Further sprays will take place later on in the year as well as on
the spot weed removal for any problematic areas.
Cllr Iain Ashcroft, Portfolio Holder for Community Services, said:
"Over recent years, perhaps accelerated by the change in climatic
conditions, the problem of roadside weeds has increased. We know it
is a nuisance not just because they are unsightly but for safety
issues. Therefore, we have designed an overall programme to have
the maximum effect in the removal of unsightly weed growth."
"Last year we carried out a similar programme of works and it was
so successful that we've not had a massive infiltration this year,
so we are trying it out again. We are confident that this will keep
the district clean, green and safe."
These latest works compliment the many other initiatives and
services to keep West Lancashire a garden district, clean and
green. To find out how the Council is keeping the area tidy and
free from litter, visit the Refuse section.
Related information
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