Farmers and the County Council work together to improve the rural lanes of Warwickshire
The National Farmers Union, the Country Land and Business Association and Warwickshire County Council have worked together to produce a new booklet ‘Farming and the Public Highway’.
The booklet is full of helpful advice for farmers and landowners on how they can work with the county council to improve the rural lanes of Warwickshire.
The county council as Highway Authority has responsibility for maintaining 2,680 miles of highway, but farmers also have some responsibilities for carrying out works on land adjoining their property. This initiative will help to promote better coordination for addressing these maintenance issues, particularly drainage.
On rural roads the most common method of draining the highway is by using the nearest farmers ditch or water course.
County Council Surveyor Peter Hallam said: “If you see a rural road with a lot of potholes, the chances are that lying water is the problem. If the road is drained better that chances of pot holes appearing would reduce.”
“We are keen to work in partnership with the farming community and the new guide ‘Farming and the Public Highway’ will hopefully be valuable in enabling us to work together to sustain a safe and serviceable highway network for all users.”
Rising Lane, near the Baddesley Clinton will closed next week to enable essential road repairs to be carried out and while work is underway on the road, the National Trust, who own the adjoining land will take the opportunity of a traffic free road to clean out their roadside ditches.
An electronic version of the new publication is available on the county council web site. Hard copy versions are available from County Highways on 01926 4125215.