Network Rail have an obligation to maintain a 'flail strip' 3 metres from the running line. In addition to this, because of north-west electrification, the embankments are being cleared of trees to facilitate the erection of OLE masts.
Trees on the railway embankment are a relatively new phenomenon. If you look at any old photographs of the railway before the 1970's there are few trees an the embankment due to them being set on fire each summer from ash off the passing steam trains which kept the vegetation down.
Network Rail have carried out de-veg over the last few years targeting broad leaf species such as Sycamores which cause a massive problems during the leaf fall season. It's not derailments or stopped trains which is the problem-it's stopping at stations and starting away. Also any location where red signals are regularly encountered are targeted for the same reason.
If you have walked on a traditional flag pavement covered in leaves, you will know how slippy it can be. Contact between rails and the trains wheels is roughly the size of a 5p coin. Imagine driving a train at 90mph, weighing several hundred tons and trying to stop it with contamination on the rail caused by crushed leaves. It isn't a pleasant feeling for the driver when the train isn't slowing as it should, you can't increase the brake force as it will exasperate the situation and the final stopping point is in the lap of the gods.
Network Rail have spent millions of pounds trying to solve the problem using wheel scrubbers, static gel applicators at the side of the line, jet washing trains and manual gangs cleaning the railhead by hand but none of these are as effective of treating the cause at source which unfortunately means removing the trees altogether.
To be fair, they do target the broad leaf trees and prune others. Most hawthorns are left as well as oak. Hope this gives you a better insight as to why the trees are being cut down.
I have contacted RSPB who are passing it onto to someone who is dealing with network rail they have said that network rail do this far too often.
I had an email back from one councillor who said that all the 7 miles of trees were unhealthy. Yeh right about 7 miles of them.
Another councillor has just called and will be going to the meeting and does agree that it is just an excuse.
I have asked network rail for the amount of accidents rail derailments or stopped trains due to leaves on the line along this stretch of track. I have also requested an account of their survey that's says all these trees need to be felled through being unhealthy.
Waiting for a few more reply from other various groups as well as network rail
Good Luck but network rail will always have the health and safety card to play, i.e. the trees are a hazard to passing trains and their passengers.
They will have had to prepare an environmental impact assessment, that might be available somewhere on line for you to read.
I don't know the exact circumstances Meg, but it sounds as though the trees in question are on railway property. If they are, then there's little you can do legally. I've never heard of a trackside tree getting a Tree Preservation Order. Trees are cut on the trackside at the rear of my house even during the breeding season. They say they employ ecologists but I imagine their idea of a site inspection is the view from a train window at 40mph.
But you say there is a meeting... Don't just go. Get as many people as you can to go as well, including local councillors if you can. And take along your list of birds and other wildlife - you may find some allies with a shared interest.
I have been seething from yesterday after getting a letter from Network Rail to say they will be felling trees 6 meters from the track, which is basically from the track to our border. There is the usual tripe of preserving wildlife etc. But if all the trees have been felled where with the birds go then. I know the reason we get such a variety of birds in our garden is because of these trees. I will be going to the meeting regarding this, but feel that my garden birds may well disappear. These are regular visitors to my feeders Blackbird M/F robin goldfinch M/F bullfinch M/F chaffinch M/F greenfinch M/F long tailed tit blue tit great tit Coal ti willow tit wren dunnock sparrows song thrush mistle thrush Spotted woodpecker Jay doves pigeons magpies 2 Hedgehogs Graey squirrels
Is there anything I can do regarding this any advice would be welcome
