Media centre

Monday 5 Jul 2021

Unsafe trees cleared from Perthshire rail track

Region & Route:

Scotland’s Railway: Scotland

Network Rail has removed trees and vegetation near the railway line at St Madoes after a train collided with a fallen tree in May, injuring the driver and damaging the train cab.

Site inspections after the incident showed a number of hazardous lineside trees on the Dundee-Perth line, which have now been removed to reduce further risk.

Experts believe the tree fell onto the railway in May after heavy rainfall and high winds hit already waterlogged ground. This weather combination caused a mature but shallow rooted tree to collapse across the track. 

The incident highlights how overgrown or diseased trees and vegetation close to the railway can become dangerous and pose safety risks to passengers, freight, railway staff and lineside neighbours.

Helping to prevent similar incidents, Network Rail’s ecology team is improving lineside tree and vegetation management. They also advise on how work can be carried out in a way that minimises impact on wildlife and the environment.

The remedial work at St Madoes helped retain a number of bat roosts or nests from the felled trees. Various logs and tree stumps were also preserved to provide biodiverse habitats for animals, insects and fauna.

Jonathan Callis, Network Rail’s senior asset engineer for Scotland’s Railway, said: “Our thoughts are with the train driver injured in this incident and we wish him well as he recovers.

“What took place at St Madoes is a very real example of how an unstable tree can present risk to the safety of Scotland’s Railway. It’s one of the reasons our teams proactively inspect rail lines and tightly control tree and vegetation growth.

“We actively encourage anyone who owns trees near rail corridors to monitor their size and health and to contact Network Rail for advice if they believe these are becoming a risk to railway safety.”