Fears for wildlife over felling of train risk trees

WILDLIFE charities have voiced concerns about railway tree felling as it emerged Network Rail has drawn up a map of 10million trees that might pose a risk to trains.

The railways operator has used drones to create an aerial plan of all trees within 200ft of tracks, comprising “hotspots” of mature trees.

The programme has already involved the destruction of thousands of horse chestnuts, ash, poplar and sycamore trees, but Network Rail said not all the 10 million trees would be felled or pruned.

But the RSPB warned that such activity should only take place at this time of year – the nesting season – if trains were at imminent risk.

An RSPB spokesman said: “The worry is that much of this work is simply routine.”

Network Rail said its operatives were adhering to “all environmental requirements”, including daily checks for nesting birds.