Mice get their own crossing!

NETWORK Rail engineers are preparing to build a special railway crossing for the endangered hazel dormouse.

Aware of the decline in the wild hazel dormouse since 2000, which has seen numbers halved, a mouse-sized climbing frame over tracks will connect populations in the Arnside and Silverdale area of the Cumbrian Coast line, encouraging them to find food, look for a new mate or better nesting sites.

The £80,000 project will involve the installation of a 12-metre long shielded treetop structure on the side of an existing railway overbridge. The project is a joint one involving NR and wildlife charity People’s Trust for Endangered Species (PTES) to increase dormice numbers.