Autumn battle
Network Rail defends position on vegetation clearance, saying it doesn’t intend to cut down all trees.
NETWORK Rail says it is “not looking to chop every tree down” on its network, but is warning of significant safety risks if vegetation is allowed to grow unchecked.
Speaking exclusively to RAIL, NR Head of Lineside Dr Neil Strong and Head of Environment Rossa Donovan highlighted the risks of trees falling on to tracks or neighbouring land and highways, of vegetation hindering signalling sighting and visibility at level crossings and for track workers, and during the autumn of compressed leaf mulch on railheads preventing track circuits from operating properly.
Excessive leaf fall can reduce adhesion on the rails, leading to risks of signal overruns. Overgrowth can also hinder access to signalling cables and location cabinets, making maintenance harder.
“These are fundamental safety issues,” said Dr Strong.
Donovan added that while NR has been criticised for tree felling: “We’re certainly not looking to chop every tree down. The lineside environment can be multi-functional - there’s room for wildlife, too.”
Although NR has standards about vegetation management, there cannot be a ‘one size fits all’ policy because the nature of the lineside environment can differ greatly. Donovan said that while in some cases felling trees may be the best option for the safety of an embankment or cutting, in others retaining the root structure of trees could be vital for the stability of the structure (in which case, pollarding or coppicing could be more effective solutions).
Rail Minister Jo Johnson’s review into vegetation management is expected to be published before the end of this month. Strong said NR has engaged fully with the process, viewing it as an opportunity to improve what the company is doing.
Some external organisations have criticised the infrastructure company’s approach in the past, but Strong is positive about the outcomes from the review process: “There’s an opportunity to talk to bodies such as the Woodland Trust and to work with them. Maybe we can be advocates of them and them of us.”
Furthermore, Donovan believes that effective vegetation management can benefit wildlife, arguing that habitats can be broadened to allow more species to flourish.
He acknowledged that there is a backlog of work, but pointed out that there has been “a lot of work” on routes being electrified, such as the Great Western Main Line, to ensure that sufficient clearances are maintained between vegetation and critical infrastructure.
“The aim is to ensure that potentially dangerous vegetation is managed to reduce the risk, wherever it is - including by moving vegetation back by six metres or more so that it doesn’t interfere with overhead lines, signal sighting and track worker safety.”
NR’s policy actively seeks to manage vegetation and habitats, as well as reacting to events such as the recent storms Ali and Bronagh which blew 200 trees onto the tracks in Britain.
It argues that this approach improves safety and enables NR to increase biodiversity on its land. In the longer term, it will also allow NR to better communicate with lineside neighbours about what it is doing and why.
“People get the safety message,” said Donovan. “We’re always looking for ways to manage the network better. We want to get to a point where it’s a wellmanaged safe environment with lots of biodiversity. We have to put people’s safety first: - nobody wants an unsafe railway.”