Marlborough District Council Roading Assets - Activity Management Plan 2015 - 2018 SECTION 1 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 1.6.6.2.7 Disposal Plan There is no disposal in this activity as there are no physical assets. 1.6.6.3 Vegetation Control Council generally only maintains rural verges to a nominal standard. Urban verges are usually the responsibility of the adjoining landowner to maintain, thus saving Council and the ratepayer’s considerable operational costs and are therefore excluded from this AMP. 1340km of the roading network is classified rural. The bulk of the rural network in the agricultural areas has unconfined seal edges with aerge area cosisting oa arrow gravel shoulder runngout into grass. In the rural non-agricultural and reserve areas the shoulder gravels run out into vegetated batters or scrub bush. The gravel component of the verges on sealed roads is managed as part of the pavement maintenance by pothole repair and by the addition of make-up metal to control low shoulder and edge break. Hierarchy Description Length km Approximate verge length Sealed - rural 684 1368 Unsealed - rural 656 1312 1340 2680 Table 6.7.1a: Rural Verges Length * Includes all D’Urville Island roads 1.6.6.3.1 Age and Current Condition This is an activity rather than an actual asset therefore ‘Age’ and ‘Current Condition’ is not applicable. Council does not place a value on the vegetation growing on rural verges except for nominated historical trees. Grass and other vegetation is maintained on a cyclical basis dependant on the climatic growing conditions to deal with the various issues of safety, visibility, control of noxious weeds, and fire hazard. 1.6.6.3.2 Level of Service Section 3 of this AMP discusses customer Levels of Service. The detailed list of technical performance measures are listed in the Marlborough Roads Safety Management System Manual. In order to meet the appropriate level of service Performance Measures are set in the network maintenance contract specifications. The following summarise the specified standards: Rural Vegetation Control Vegetation on the rural sealed network is cut to conform to a ‘Vegetation Free Envelope’ 6m tall at the edge of seal and nominally 1.5m outside the edge of seal. On all roads vegetation is cut to maintain safe sight distances on corners and the approach to bridges. On all roads the area around signs, delineation devices, drainage systems, bridges and the road surface will be maintained vegetation free by chemical control (weed spraying). All chemical control shall be undertaken by a suitably qualified person. A register of adjacent landowner nominated ‘No Spray Zones’ is maintained by Marlborough Roads. In the northern area of the network (north of the Wairau River) 50% of the unsealed roads are specifically scrub cut or mown every year plus specific additional cuts on targeted roads. This area includes the Marlborough Sounds which has thick bush adjoining the road network which needs to be managed. Vegetation cutting on the ‘drop off’ side of the road in the sounds, a discernible ‘step’ will be left to provide a visual delineation guide. In the Southern region no specific vegetation cutting is undertaken on unsealed roads other than that necessary for safety. Where vegetation control is deemed necessary in the South the work is specifically ordered. The Southern region is more agricultural and drier than the North giving rise to natural controls on verge vegetation. 30 September 2014 Page 84 of Section 1