Please see below information received from Network Rail regarding the works they will be carrying out in order to manage the vegetation growing by the side of the railway between Feltham and Ascot:
Dear stakeholder,
I am writing to let you know the work will start in September 2020 and will be completed by 30 April 2021. Most of the work will take place during daylight hours on weekdays, Monday to Friday.
Large trees growing near the railway can cause issues with the stability of embankments and cuttings, often leading to disruption to railway services operated by our partners at South Western Railway. Some trees, particularly Ash, are prone to fungal disease causing them to fail, posing a risk to our lineside neighbours, passengers and staff. The appropriate management of the lineside means we can also address other related safety concerns such as ensuring our drivers can see pedestrian crossing users, and enabling safer access for staff carrying out maintenance work.
We would normally hold a community drop-in event for this type of project to give local residents the opportunity to meet the project team and learn more about the planned vegetation management work. Given the current advice around Covid-19 however, we are unable to do so. In place of ‘traditional’ drop-in events, our teams will be hosting ‘virtual drop-ins,’ and details of these will be communicated to local residents via letter. As the stretch from Feltham to Ascot covers a considerable distance, we will be running these drop-ins on a more localised basis – residents will receive an invitation by post to the relevant drop-in for their personal residential address. If you would be interested in joining a drop-in session, please do let me know your local railway station and I will provide you with the relevant information for the most appropriate drop-in.
Although most of the work will be carried out during the week and in daytime hours, small amounts will be carried out during the night or at the weekend when trains are not running to allow us to get full access to the track. Some of the work may also be noisy and so, where possible, we will do as much of the work using chainsaws and wood-chippers during the day. Some disturbance from the operation of our machinery will be unavoidable and I’m sorry in advance for any inconvenience this may cause. The Community Relations team will be issuing local lineside residents with an information notice ahead of weekend and night work, including details of the works and maps of the site in advance of the respective dates.
Delivering the highest standards of safety is paramount to our work and keeping people safe on and around the railway is at the heart of everything we do. As part of this commitment to safety, all staff who will be working on these sites are fully briefed on working responsibly in the local community and keeping noise levels to an absolute minimum level.
I would appreciate your support in sharing these works through your social and communication channels to your communities and members. If you have any questions or queries, please do not hesitate to get in touch with myself by email or on the telephone number provided below. Lineside neighbours are also welcome to contact our 24-hour helpline which is available 7 days a week on 03457 11 41 41, quoting “information request – Feltham to Ascot vegetation management” should they require further information in advance of, or during the works.
Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.
Thanks,
Jonny Nesbitt
Stakeholder & Public affairs manager (Wessex)
Network Rail Southern region
James Forbes House, 27 Great Suffolk Street, London SE1 0NS
Mobile:07922 013634