Media centre

Wednesday 21 Sep 2005

RAILWAY POLLUTION PUT TO BED

Region & Route:

| Wales & Western: Wales & Borders

| Wales & Western

The Filton area of Bristol has become the first place in the country to benefit from a new anti-pollution scheme - a reed bed made of railway ballast and sleepers. Water draining into Hazel Brook from nearby Charlton railway tunnel has caused silt contamination for several years.  Network Rail and the Environment Agency are trialling a solution to the problem using ballast as a filter and wooden sleepers as reed bed terraces.  Once established, the new reed bed will act as a filter system as water passes through the reeds. Andy Hancock, Network Rail’s General Manager for the West Country, said: “This is the first reed bed we’ve constructed and may be a possible solution for use in other similar situations across the country.  Not only is cost effective but it is also sustainable.” Emma Keen, from the Environment Agency, said: “This is the most ancient and effective form of natural water filtration in the world, yet it is a new departure for us to attempt to create a reed bed and deal with a pollution problem. We are quietly confident that it will have the desired effect, but until the reeds are fully-grown we won’t know whether we have achieved our goal. “If it is a success, the Environment Agency and Network Rail very much hope to use it in other locations around the country. The Environment Agency is using more and more natural solutions to problems – for example using woven willow fencing to protect against river bank erosion – not just because they use biodegradable recyclable materials, but because they are the most efficient solution.” Network Rail representatives will be speaking to children at the adjacent Brentry Primary School about how the reed bed works.  The school’s eco committee will also monitor the silt from time to time and report back to Network Rail on the success of the reed bed. Andy Hancock added: “We are pleased that not only were we able to find an environment friendly solution to the problem, but that we were able to involve the local school in the project.”