Leeds residents left with view of flytipped rubbish and graffiti after Network Rail cuts down trees

The view over the railway line following the removal of the trees by Network Rail. Picture: Jonathan Gawthorpe.The view over the railway line following the removal of the trees by Network Rail. Picture: Jonathan Gawthorpe.
The view over the railway line following the removal of the trees by Network Rail. Picture: Jonathan Gawthorpe.
Residents on a Leeds street have been left with views of fly-tipped rubbish and graffiti after Network Rail cut down trees beside a railway line.

Work on a stretch of railway line in the Burley area of the city took place in October and saw dozens of trees removed from alongside the line.

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It is part of a wider ongoing programme of tree-felling work along the railway line between Burley Park and Horsforth in Leeds which Network Rail says is required to allow trains to run safely and reliably.

It has left residents on Park View Avenue overlooking discarded rubbish including a bed frame on the line, as well as graffiti on a nearby street for almost two months.

Network Rail told The Yorkshire Post work to remove the fly-tipping would take place over Christmas, while any graffiti “on railway property” will also be cleaned.

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Lauren Burton, who moved onto the street in October, said the work took place just weeks later and there had been a lack of communication in advance.

“We bought the house partly because of the outdoor space and the sense of privacy it had,” she said.

“We moved in on October 4 and I contacted Network Rail when the work started on October 30 and tried to talk to the contractors but they didn’t really come back.

“Now the only trees left are those in private gardens.

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“They still haven’t cleared the fly-tipping and the graffiti and it has been over seven weeks since it took place.

“Myself and lots of my neighbours have asked about that and they just don’t come back on it.”

She questioned whether the full removal of trees from beside the line had been completely necessary and if they could have been pruned back instead.

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“I know it has to be safe but there are lots of other ways. They say safety is the top thing to think about but then they have left lots of fly-tipping.”

Matt Rice, Route Director for Network Rail, said: “The work we’re doing to manage vegetation in Leeds is critical for the safe and reliable running of trains. If not managed responsibly, overgrown trees can obstruct signals or fall onto the track – bringing clear dangers for passengers and rail workers, as well as disruption to services.

“Removing vegetation is not a decision we take lightly. Before the work started, we did a significant amount of community engagement, including contacting almost 5,000 residents living closest to the line. We continue to engage with those who have contacted us about the project.”

Flytipping removal to begin around Christmas

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Network Rail said that work to remove fly-tipping close to the line will start over the Christmas period when fewer trains are running due to major engineering upgrades at Leeds Railway Station.

The organisation argued that removing trees is “critical” for trains to run safely and reliably as overgrown trees can obstruct signals or fall onto the track.

A spokesperson said that in an eight-week period, leaf fall on this stretch of line caused 127 incidents which resulted in 116 hours of train delays.

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Anyone wanting further information about the project is advised to contact Network Rail’s 24-hour helpline on 03457 11 41 41.

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