Homeowners in Canterbury-Bankstown are taking action against overgrown grass along public roads, as they struggle to get local and state governments to address the issue.
Some residents have resorted to mowing verges themselves after repeated requests for maintenance went unanswered.
Peter Katholos, a resident in Canterbury, has started paying gardeners to mow the state-controlled land outside his home.
Katholos described the overgrown grass as “unsightly” and a safety hazard for both pedestrians and drivers.
“The streets are a joke, they’re not being maintained and no one seems to want to take responsibility for it,” he said.
“I started paying a gardener to mow the grass and the cost is $50 each time – having to do that every six weeks is really adding up.”
Local councillor Harry Stavrinos echoed frustrations, noting confusion over which level of government is responsible for road maintenance.
The council is tasked with mowing roads in certain areas, but 16 state-controlled roads, including major routes like King Georges Rd, fall under Transport for NSW.
Stavrinos pointed out that this confusion has left residents mowing verges on busy roads, which is unsafe.
“We’ve now got a situation where residents are going out on main roads and cutting the grass right next to 40,000 cars a day – it’s unacceptable,” he said.
Transport for NSW has stated that its road network maintenance is a priority, with mowing conducted cyclically, weather permitting.
However, community concerns continue to rise, with the Canterbury-Bankstown Council urging the state government to allocate more resources to address the issue.
Source: The Daily Telegraph.
