This week's issue: Tree felling

"I think this
is the single
biggest act of
public vandalism
in my lifetime"

Chris Higgins,
Winchester

Get involved

Your responses

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Chris Higgins emailed the Six O'clock News about Network Rail's tree felling policy.

He lives next to the railway line in Winchester and was astonished when, late last year, a team of contractors began chopping down trees near his home.

"They started felling in a conservation area without any prior consultation", says Chris.

"The first we heard of it was when we saw the workmen".

Chris fears that Network Rail is embarking on a countrywide programme of tree felling.

Chris is worried about the environmental impact of tree felling

He believes that the company chooses to simply cut down trees, rather than prune them back, because its a cheaper way to combat leaves on the line.

"The impact on the environment will be quite appalling," says Chris.

"This is the devastation of the landscape across rural England."

Countrywide concerns

And Chris is not alone in his concerns.

In Hall Green in Birmingham, local residents organised a protest meeting when Network Rail began track-side clearance work.

In Didsbury, near Manchester, tree felling was halted when environmentalists complained to the police about the effect on nesting birds.

And in Bristol, residents organised a picket and daily vigil when a rail-side copse was threatened.

Leaves on the track have caused problems in the past

Network Rail is adamant that the tree clearance work is necessary.

They say that leaves on the line can prevent trains braking and that overhanging trees can make it difficult for drivers to see signals properly.

"Whilst our priority is running a safe reliable railway, we are also concerned about the environment," says the company.

"We know how important trees are as a 'green screen' and as a haven for wildlife. Therefore we are careful only to prune or cut down problem trees".

Parliamentary debate

But campaign groups are not convinced, and they've found a voice in the Houses of Parliament.

Birmingham MP Steve McCabe recently organised a debate on the issue.

He warns that unless Network Rail improve consultation with residents living near railway lines and outline a clear environmental policy, he'll ask the government to impose more stringent controls.

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A video of this week's Your Politics Report will be available shortly

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What you can do:

Network Rail's website is at:

http://www.networkrail.co.uk

If you have concerns about railway tree felling work in your area, you can ring a Network Rail helpline on 0845 711 4141. You may also want to get in touch with your local council's planning department.

There are more details of Steve McCabe's work on this subject in Parliament at:

http://edm.ais.co.uk/weblink/html/
motion.html/ref=1082

You can also email him at [e-mail]

Campaigners living near tree felling sites are voicing their concerns on another website:

http://www.networkwail.co.uk

(Watch how you type this one - at first glance it might look like the Network Rail site, but look again!)

Other organisations to raise concerns on this topic are The Campaign to Protect Rural England:

http://www.cpre.org.uk/

and the Tree council:

http://www.treecouncil.org.uk/

The July edition of BBC Wildlife magazine also contains an article about tree felling on the railways.

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