Based on the experience at Moray Place / Darnley Road:
That MPs, MSPs and Glasgow City Council demand that Network Rail submit a detailed plan for tree management across the whole rail network of the South of Glasgow (based on the experience of NR’s proposed Moray Place Tree Massacre).
That the refusal of Network Rail to release all tree and environmental assessments to the Council and/or Scottish Natural Heritage is totally unacceptable and that MPs / MSPs seek to bring Network Rail under the aegis of the Freedom of Information Act.
That in the absence of the release of Network Rail assessments, that the recommendations of the Strathbungo Society tree survey (see separate news item) should be the “baseline” for any work on this stretch of track.
The Society accepts Network Rail’s view that the main leaf fall problem species are: ash (Fraxinus excelsior); sycamore (Acer pseudoplatanus); horse chestnut (Aesculus hippocastanum); sweet chestnut (Castanea sativa); poplar (Populus spp. except Populus tremula); lime (Tilia spp.) As such, the Society does not accept that any trees be cleared unless so identified as posing a safety.
That Network Rail commits itself to accepting the Strathbungo Society tree survey that states most trees could be retained; the removal of the majority of trees is not an acceptable position.
That Network Rail accept the advice of Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) that work should be undertaken on a phased basis, with a five year gap between works on the two sides of the railway. In addition, that dead wood be left on site as a valuable wildlife habitat (as advised by SNH).