WORK to protect grass verges in Ashhurst Way on the Rose Hill estate has been completed.

The project, part of Oxford City Council’s great estates programme, was carried out in the past three months.

Grids of concrete with grass to grow through have now been fitted to the verges in an attempt to stop damage to them caused by cars parked half on and half off the road.

Improvements to footpaths have also been made, and both changes have been welcomed by the community.

As part of the works, residents were given the option to incorporate any new accesses or extensions to existing drop crossings.

Councillor Ed Turner said: “The state of the grass verges was awful before, and gave a terrible first impression of Rose Hill.

“Obviously people needed to park somewhere, but this meant the verges got churned up, filled with water and rubbish.

“The new surface looks a million times better.

“Residents of Rose Hill told us that the work needed was a priority.

“We worked with the residents through consultation and the project and the results look fantastic.”

The project was the first of five aimed at improving the parking facilities on the estates in Oxford, with a £1.5m budget already approved for the great estates programme over the next five years.

Oxford City Council has approved planning permission for five further projects for this financial year, which form part of the capital programme of car parking works costing £500,000.

Another similar scheme in Blackbird Leys Road will provide 18 new car parking spaces for residents. Work started on November 18 , 2013.