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Written Question
Roads: Ragwort
Friday 12th September 2025

Asked by: Lord Cromwell (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask His Majesty's Government how many times in the past 12 months National Highways or other body responsible for highway verges have been served a notice in respect of ragwort control; and how many times such a responsible body has been prosecuted for breaches of their legal obligation to control and remove ragwort as required by the Weeds Act 1959 and subsequent Code of Practice.

Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)

In the past 12 months, no notices in relation to ragwort control have been served to National Highways, and there have been no prosecutions under the Weeds Act 1959 or the Code of Practice.

The Department does not hold data on notices or prosecutions relating to ragwort control by local highway authorities.