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ID sylw: 107619

Derbyniwyd: 07/03/2025

Ymatebydd: Network Rail

Asiant : CBRE

Network Rail has prepared a national Biodiversity Action Plan (“BAP”) (December 2020) to
inform its management and improvement of the rail network. This BAP aims to strike a
balance between safety, performance, and environmental outcomes. The importance of the
railway for biodiversity, including in connecting habitats, is fully recognised, and supported by
Network Rail. There is however a need to ensure the best balance between biodiversity
objectives and the ability to maintain and improve the railway to keep it running safely and
smoothly. It is not always safe or practical to avoid all impacts on existing biodiversity
features, including trees and hedgerows, as part of this balance, and in situations where
certain on-site impacts are unavoidable, Network Rail will seek to create appropriate habitats,
including in the local area where possible, to mitigate for and offset any impacts, also having
regard to national legislative requirements.

It is requested that any future ecology, and tree and hedgerow policies acknowledge that
there may be exceptional circumstances where the need for a development would clearly
outweigh protection of trees, hedges and other nature conservation resources, notably where
unavoidably required to maintain and improve the railway to keep it running safely and
smoothly.