Networkrail is responsible for a devastating assault on the countryside
which has left shocked and tearful residents nationwide gazing at vast
stretches of seemingly Agent Oranged earth. Fond of railway
embankments? Ever thought about them? Well, now's the time to start.
Railway embankments allow trees, vegetation and wildlife to flourish.
On top of that, they provide natural cover against the pollution and
noise caused by trains. Or, at least, they did, until Network Rail came
up with an ingenious new solution to the age-old problem of leaves on
the line. They decided to eliminate the trees. Official policy, in
fact, is to eradicate all trees within 5 metres (15 foot) of the
Railway line. The issue of railway safety is obviously serious but the
amount of land being cleared is totally unnecessary.

In fact this has already been done to within 25 metres in other areas
despite Network Rail's initial claims:

"I just feel we have been lied to," he said. "They have cut down every
single tree right to the end of the gardens - about 25 metres depth -
and to a length of around 170 metres.

http://www.manchesteronline.co.uk/ne...s_on_line.html

This policy has already begun and is being implemented now.

Please complain to Network Rail:

Network Rail's National Helpline can be contacted on:

08457 11 41 41. This number is manned 24 hours a day.


Network Rail
40 Melton Street
London
NW1 2EE
tel: 020 7557 8000
fax: 020 7557 9000

"VQSV" wrote ...
Networkrail is responsible for a devastating assault on the countryside
which has left shocked and tearful residents nationwide gazing at vast
stretches of seemingly Agent Oranged earth. Fond of railway
embankments? Ever thought about them? Well, now's the time to start.
Railway embankments allow trees, vegetation and wildlife to flourish.
On top of that, they provide natural cover against the pollution and
noise caused by trains. Or, at least, they did, until Network Rail came
up with an ingenious new solution to the age-old problem of leaves on
the line. They decided to eliminate the trees. Official policy, in
fact, is to eradicate all trees within 5 metres (15 foot) of the
Railway line. The issue of railway safety is obviously serious but the
amount of land being cleared is totally unnecessary.


Yes, tis true, they have done this very thing on the Waterloo/Reading line
near here. Where a row of houses were hidden by trees from those waiting at
the (un)level crossing they are now totally open to view.
I've lived here over 30 years and that stretch of line has always been tree
lined both sides, even when there was a signalman in his signal box, but it
isn't now, just piles of bark chippings.
They have made no distinction with regard to tree species, the lot has gone.
Might explain why we are now seeing a woodpecker on our bird table.

--
Regards
Bob
In Runnymede, 17 miles West of London

The felling and pruning is performed by contractors, not the rail company.
So you should take it up with them.
It is also done for safety reasons, so i think you might be better putting your energy into a more worthy cause, maybe the problems with the caledonian forest, or the ever increasing softwood plantations that decrease our native woodlands.

Bob Hobden wrote:
Or, at least, they did, until
Network Rail came up with an ingenious new solution to the age-old
problem of leaves on the line.

It isn't actually an age old problem.

The old fashioned rim brakes uses to "self clean" the crud off the wheels,
the safety driven move to disc brakes resuled (via the law of unintended
consequences) in the accumulation of crud on the wheels

Also, the drive to reduce costs over the past 25 years or so has meant that
embankmenst that were previously cleared, coppiced or manager in soem other
way were allowed to over grow. Step forward again the law of unintended
consequences! The drive to reduces costs gave rise to more leaves on the
line and a bigger problem.

If you want a safe and punctual train service, you can't have tree lined
tracks!

pk

The message
from penance contains these words:


i think you might be better
putting your energy into a more worthy cause, maybe the problems with
the caledonian forest,

What problem? Restoring it has been going on for at least a decade.

or the ever increasing softwood plantations that
decrease our native woodlands.

How do they do that? Commercial softwood plantations are not planted
in native woodlands.

Janet

In message , penance
writes

The felling and pruning is performed by contractors, not the rail
company.
So you should take it up with them.

The contractors are working for the Railway Company and are probably
removing what they have been asked to do, it would be much better to
take it up with the Railway company.

It is also done for safety reasons,

Yes, and of course trees need to be kept back from the tracks etc., that
doesn't mean embankments necessarily have to be cleared felled.

so i think you might be better
putting your energy into a more worthy cause,

Railways embankments etc (like motorway cuttings and embankments). are
an important wildlife refuge esp. in urban areas, but also in rural
areas, esp. in those places where lots of hedges have gone as it is an
area moslty left alone, and where wildlife isn't much disturbed.

maybe the problems with
the caledonian forest, or the ever increasing softwood plantations that
decrease our native woodlands.

It's unusual for softwood plantations to be planted where there are
exisiting native woodlands
--
Chris French

"VQSV" wrote in message
oups.com...
Networkrail is responsible for a devastating assault on the countryside
which has left shocked and tearful residents nationwide gazing at vast
stretches of seemingly Agent Oranged earth. Fond of railway
embankments? Ever thought about them?
SNIP

Yes. But I don't think you have. They are cleared for safety reasons. Do you
want a tree to fall over on to the line?
Years ago they were cleared annually so trees did not get a chance to grow
to any real height but nowadays it's done about every ten years. So in the
'50s you would not have noticed this "devastating assault " as all they cut
was in effect long grass.
A ten year old tree is unlikely to harm a train or their communications but
to leave it another ten is to invite disaster.

Slatts