01 Sep 2023
Campaigners are demanding answers from rail bosses about the extent of tree felling proposals.
Residents from Lancaster Road and Gurney Court Road are angry at plans to remove many of the trees behind their gardens – including sycamore and ash – which are home to bat roosts, badger setts and nesting birds.
The campaign group fears the effect on this green corridor will be irreversible.
They point out that according to Network Rail’s own statistics, only 1,400 out of their 13 million trackside trees have fallen on the line. This means if they fell any tree within 6.5m of the track then 9,000 would have to be cut down to prevent just one from falling.
Network Rail insists the work is vital for health and safety, but have failed to answer Freedom of Information requests for the relevant surveys highlighting the extent of the proposed work within the required 20 days.
Neighbour Nadia Bishara told the St Albans Times: “My husband and I originally sent separate requests for the documents at different times.
“When his request time lapsed about two weeks ago, Network Rail told him the documents weren’t ready to be released, even though they had them in hand. They said they needed a ‘safe space’ to edit them, and that they wouldn’t be ready until August 18 at the earliest. He was then told he would have to make another FOI request to receive them. We couldn’t understand this, as surveys are carried out by independent bodies. If Network Rail had possession of them they must therefore be complete. Also how can the documents be independent if they’ve been edited by Network Rail?”
A group of 32 local residents, including St Albans Civic Society President Tim Boatswain and councillors Simon Grover and Helen Campbell, have now written to the chief executive of Network Rail asking for confirmation that trees will only be felled or reduced based on a proper assessment of actual risk, rather than indiscriminately and pre-emptively. They say the healthy hardwood trees beyond 6.5m of the track should not be touched.
“As local residents and interested parties we understand the requirement for Network Rail to undertake safety-related works along the lineside, and we have no objection to works being carried out where there is a clear and reasonable safety concern…
“These works are described as ‘vital’, suggesting that the works would indeed only target areas of clear and reasonable safety concern. And yet the detail of the planned works is arbitrary and indiscriminate, with all trees and vegetation planned to be cleared based on their distance from the track, with no consideration given to the risk they actually pose.
“We understand that trees need to be felled under certain circumstances – if they are unhealthy, if they are blocking visibility, if they are dangerously leaning or if they are certain leaf-fall varieties within close proximity to the tracks.
“We request however that a more nuanced approach be taken to minimise unnecessary loss of trees.
“In particular we request the following: Healthy, upright hardwood species such as oak and hornbeam beyond the 6.5m line, where there is no identified reason to suggest they are at risk of falling should not be affected by these works.
“Specifically, there is a line of healthy mature oaks running along the top of the bank behind Lancaster Road. These trees have stood happily for 100 years and will continue to do so for centuries to come. They provide vital services in terms of their Renvironmental and wildlife value, but also help to stabilise the lineside bank, enhancing the safety of rail users. We see no justification for these trees to be felled, reduced or pollarded in any way, purely for pre-emptive reasons.”
Tara Scott, infrastructure director for Network Rail in the East Midlands said: “We know how important trees and vegetation are to local communities and the impact that removing them can have, especially for our neighbours. This is why we carefully assess vegetation management work before we begin and hold public events as well as send notifications before work starts.
“Vegetation, especially trees, can pose serious safety risks for passengers and rail staff. Trees can fall onto the tracks, risking potential derailments. They can also come into contact with overhead power lines, risking fire and also causing delays to services.
“The issue of leaves on the line causing a black ice-type of surface and affecting trains braking is well known and overgrown vegetation can also obscure signals, the traffic lights of our railway, and also impede our staff from safely accessing the railway.
“With all of this in mind it is essential we take action to manage the risk of the vegetation and keep everyone safe. All trees that are located within 6.5 metres of the railway will be addressed, the health and size of the trees outside of this will also be assessed. We will carry out the minimum amount of work needed to keep people who live near and travel on our railway safe for years to come.”
