DRIVERS are being asked to be cautious and allow time and space to pass tractors as roadside grass cutting begins.

Essex County Council will be using up to eight tractors on the Essex road network at any one time during the peak summer cutting season.

Motorists have been urged to keep a safe distance between their vehicle and the cutting machinery in case of flying debris, such as tree branches.

The cutting programme includes verges next to roads and pavements, as well as vegetation on central reservations and anywhere growth affects sightlines at junctions.

Around 6,100 miles of verge will be cut during the summer and engineers will also begin spraying weeds in some more urban areas to limit the damage they can cause by growing through the surfaces.

Eddie Johnson, councillor responsible for highways and transport said: “To maintain safe roads for drivers and others on our roads we must cut verges, trees and undergrowth back to ensure we can all see properly, especially at busy junctions and to allow use of the full width of the road or pavement."

To keep the verges at an acceptable height during fast growth in summer, Highways staff trim the county’s roadside verges twice.

The first cut is to a minimum width of three feet, where possible, to account for sightlines at junctions, bends and known areas of higher risk.

A second trim up to 18 feet wide in particular spots is carried out by staff following up after the tractors, to ensure that the areas close to road signs, street lights and other obstructions are cut with strimmers.

Verge cutting is often complicated by piles of litter so people are also reminded to take all their litter home.