The Rail Minister has asked Network Rail to suspend all
felling during the current bird nesting season, except
where safety critical.
The review will consider how Network Rail can best
ensure the safety of our railways, while also
protecting wildlife and preserving trees.
It will also build on areas of existing best practice
in vegetation management within the organisation.
Network Rail is the fourth largest landowner in the UK
and in the past 4 years has made significant progress
in improving the management of trees alongside train
tracks. But last year alone there were an estimated
1,500 incidents involving trees and bad weather which
caused widespread travel disruption to rail passengers.
, Rail Minister, said:
How we manage our trees and vegetation — and protect
the wildlife that lives in and around them - is an
important issue.
It is right that Network Rail are able to remove
trees that could be dangerous, or impact on the
reliability of services. In the last year, vegetation
management and related incidents have cost the
railway £100 million.
But I also understand that cutting back trees can
alarm people who enjoy these environments — and can
especially raise concerns over the effect on birds
during nesting season.
That is why I am commissioning this review. In the
meantime I have asked Network Rail to suspend all
felling during the current nesting season, except
where it is safety critical.
The review will look at whether Network Rail has the
capacity and capability to manage vegetation in a way
that minimises harm to wildlife. It will also look at
whether staff need more training — for instance in
identifying approaches to managing them that would be
better than felling.
In launching it, the Department for Transport has
consulted with the Tree Council and
the RSPB.
The review will report its findings to the minister in
the summer.
