Now you see them, now you don’t…a colourful carpet of wildflowers flayed by strimmers during SWTRA (South Wales Trunk Road Agency) grass-cutting operations in Pandy sub-contracted to employees of the county council.

One local resident, retired teacher Judy Rees from Wern Gifford, thinks it’s a strange way for supposedly ‘pollinator-friendly’ organisations to behave.

She says the bank of flowers opposite the Rising Sun pub included quite rare plants like cowslips and Lady’s Smock that were still in full bloom and had not set seeds.

“The week before we had welcomed litter collectors employed by SWTRA or MCC doing a second litter sweep of the A465, Hardwick to Pandy and beyond. This was prior to the grass cutters moving along the verges - and we are all grateful for this work.

“But there was absolutely no need to fell these beautiful wildflowers from areas not impeding drivers’ vision of road exits.”

She also argues that grass cutting should either be delayed until the spring flowers are over or operatives should be employed ‘who can use a bit of common sense and avoid unnecessary cutting’.

“Monmouthshire is supposed to pride itself on being eco-friendly, bee-friendly and tourist friendly, so the council needs to up its game on the environmental front,” she said.

Mrs Rees says she spoke to the team’s supervisor who apologised profusely and told her he was following the SWTRA plan, but that the work was sub-contracted to MCC.

“He obviously has to follow the plan, so both SWTRA (based miles away near Swansea) and MCC need to get their acts together and avoid cutting sensitive areas.

“Please come out of your offices, planners, and look around you!” she said.

A spokesperson for SWTRA told the Chronicle, “It appears on initial review that the area in question was likely to have been cut by Eastern Partnership (Monmouthshire CC) operatives working on behalf of SWTRA as they are currently working in the area.

“The area would have been cut as part of the visibility splay requirements at the junction.

“We do have processes in place in relation to protected wildflowers such as bee orchids during the grass cutting operation, however it doesn’t appear that there is anything in our records to indicate that there were such protected species at the area in question which would have required a modification to our grass cutting programme.”

MCC argued that their staff were following SWTRA’s instructions and that work on trunk roads was out of their jurisdiction.

“Our grounds maintenance teams are contracted to work on behalf of SWTRA and follow the organisation’s instructions and observe its processes,” said a spokesman.

“The county council has a pollinator-friendly policy but this applies only to roads and areas for which the county council is responsible.

“The maintenance of trunk roads such as the A465, A40, A4042 and A449 is the responsibility of SWTRA.

“Furthermore, while the council holds a schedule of road verge nature reserves that are subject to special management, this area near Pandy is not currently included.”