Scotland's railway makes up more than 17 percent of Britain's rail network, some 3,504 miles of lineside. Surveying our lineside environment, including trees and vegetation we own, as well as those on adjacent land, is one part of wider efforts to proactively identify and safely remove as many dangerous trees as possible from alongside the railway. Network Rails latest survey of lineside vegetation in Scotland has identified an increasing risk from trees on land owned by our neighbours.

In the first six months of this survey, more than two hundred trees have been identified on third party land which are dead, diseased or dying. Without intervention, these present a risk to the safe operation of the railway and those travelling on it especially during stormy weather.
(Permalink) Network Rail Trees

While many trees were felled to prevent leaves on the line, Network Rail is now trying to treat them as assets. Trees and railways have never really got on with each other. In the days of steam engines, trees alongside railways were cut down to prevent engines sparking fires. Once steam engines were scrapped, the vegetation grew back and more than 6m trees became established alongside Britain's rail network. However, every autumn led to leaves on the line disruption and trees sometimes toppled on to railway tracks in high winds. There led to intense criticism of Network Rail, which then felled many trees, destroying valuable habitats. Three years ago, John Varley published Valuing Nature, an independent review of how Network Rail manages its vegetation. This recommended that trees and plants growing beside the railways should be treated as assets not problems.
(Permalink) Fallen tree Leaf train Leaves Network Rail Trees