Harringay, Haringey - So Good they Spelt it Twice!
A Kinder Gentler Management of Land alongside our Railways
Many of you will be familiar with the established practice adopted by Network Rail to the management of its lineside trees.
Almost a decade ago, it caused me to refer, perhaps a little hysterically, to Amazonian scale tree clearances on our railway embankment.
Whilst most of us might reluctantly accept the need for some sort of management, the approach long adopted by Network Rail has seemed a tad dramatic. So I was delighted to come across the news that following the Varley Review, commissioned to consider the issue, it looks like the organisation is adopting a new approach.
It has adopted a long-term plan for the management of land running alongside railway lines. The aim will be to improve and create habitats and increase flora and fauna species - as well as ensuring rail safety and efficiency (leaves on the line et al).
The following account by the Eastern Works Delivery Region Vegetation Management Team sets out what they are seeking to achieve. It's not clear if this precise approach is universal or whether we are in the Eastern Region, but either way the signs are good.
We are the Vegetation Management Team for Network Rail Works Delivery Eastern Region. A small but passionate team, our members consist of an experienced Forester, an Arborist, railway personnel, and external ecologists.
Overgrown trees and vegetation along the railway can cause lots of problems, and climate change means that more severe weather events are happening. Trees are blown down, landing on the railway, causing delays to train services and, in the worst case scenario a train may hit a tree.
We know it’s hard to believe that leaves can bring train journeys to a standstill. But it really is a problem. When they fall in autumn, they turn to a sludge that’s as slippery as black ice. Train drivers have to slow down to stay safe, and that leads to delays.
Our railway provides a habitat for local wildlife and finding the right balance between managing trees and vegetation and having a railway that is safe and reliable is the challenge our team faces when carrying out our work.
Our aim is to follow the recommendations in the Varley report: choosing to view our lineside as a woodland asset. We have started to restructure the trees/vegetation on our land using various woodland management techniques. The area adjacent to the track is cleared and will consist of grasses and wildflowers. Small tree species a safe distance from track are pruned and retained, with crown reductions or pollarding used to reduce the risk posed by large mature trees. Any trees that require removal have been allowed to coppice, allowing us to maintain regrowth at a suitable size. Where appropriate branches and logs have been used for windrowing and habitat piles to contribute towards biodiversity. Standing dead timber has been left in safe locations for wildlife habitats.
The initial use of these techniques will be followed by a maintenance programme. This will allow our teams to maintain this newly restructured lineside in a form that greatly reduces risk to the railway and at the same time retains the benefits the vegetation on our land provides. The goal being a safe, sustainable, and attractive lineside woodland asset that works for all.
The application of these methods on the railway is currently in its infancy, and as such we are keen to work with people in the community and environmental groups to help us continue to improve. We welcome feedback and hope that this new approach will mean that people who live near the railway will support our efforts to change how we look after the trees/vegetation on our land.
The Varley report and Network Rail's policy response are appended at the end of this post.
Tags for Forum Posts: network rail, trees
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Dick Harris on
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This is indeed good news and I shall be interested to see evidence of any practical action. So far as Wightman Road gardens that back on to the railway there has been no evidence whatever of "Amazonian" clearances. Quite the reverse in fact. Total neglect would be an accurate description of Network Rail's woodland management during the 40 years since I bought my house. At that time, there were no trees at all behind my house and the overhead gantries were visible from the garden. The spindly and excessively tall trees that have grown since are self seeded sycamores and ash (with some elder below, loads of nettles, ivy and hogweed). No self-respecting arborist there methinks. Under the scrub there is quite a bit of rubbish tipped down the embankment from the railway side. I can't recall any activity at all that could be characterised as woodland management. To be sure, they trimmed a few bits to keep clear their own roadway that runs along the top of the embankment and they also sent a "dear neighbour letter" to everyone along their boundary explaining their policy for cutting back vegetation. However when invited by this neighbour to clear away trees that overhung my garden they evinced total indifference claiming that they were forbidden to clear anything for any reason other than safety. When I pointed out that trees might fall in my direction too they suddenly discovered that this land had been leased to Govia Thameslink and that they are responsible. Responsible perhaps but not responsive. The best bit of the putative new policy is the idea of treating the margins as woodland to be managed and the appointment of an arborist. If anyone manages to get contact details for this person I would very much like to get in touch.
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Permalink Reply by Hugh on
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Dick, I've contacted Network Rail a few times recently about graffiti on their wall along the New River Path. They've been incredibly helpful and responsive. A couple of weeks ago they dealt with the graffiti within two days!
I imagine that being who you are, you've been down this route already, but if not, it's worth a try.
Both times I've just used the general customer service contact.
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I'm trying to get direct contact info for you. But, in the meantime, here's the linked in page for the author of the passage I used.
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Permalink Reply by Ivana Ćurčić on
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This is great news! Thank you for posting it HoL.
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Permalink Reply by Alan Stanton on
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The drawing from the Varley Report (top of this page) seems straight out of a very old-fashioned childrens' book. Perhaps only copyright issues prevented Thomas the Tank Engine and his friends from appearing?
But as Dick Harris observes, there are prominent and frequent guests at the new kinder and gentler line-side party who aren't mentioned in the reports. Yes Mr Scruffy and pals Ms Tipper, Colonel Garbage and Dr DeLitter.
There are indeed long beautiful emerald necklaces of living greenery alongside our historic local railway lines. But among the branches bushes and foliage are glistening cans, crystalline broken glass, white blossoming old fridges and other rubbish which someone has generously donated for the garbage elves.
To be fair I have not yet read the green-varnish Varley reports cover to cover. So maybe I've missed the helpful and constructive discussion on dumping/rubbish/fly-tipping/waste/garbage/trash or whatever terms I've missed.
It's good news that somebody is "reading' the long green train corridors as an asset. But Bad News if they may have missed the :gleamingly, shiningly, expensively - and often stinkingly - obvious use of railway land as a network of dumpsites.
For example:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/alanstanton/albums/72157704770376622
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