Anger as mature trees felled along Nottinghamshire rail route

The trees overlooked new homes in Brownsmill Way, Wollaton

People living next to a railway line say they are upset after mature trees were cut down by Network Rail.

The company has been removing trees along a seven-mile section of track between Mansfield Junction and Trowell in Nottinghamshire.

One resident living on a new housing estate near the tracks in Wollaton told the BBC she cried as she saw a row of trees "falling like dominos".

Network Rail said the work was necessary for track safety.

The firm set out its plans for the work in documents as the new homes were being built.

It said letters were later sent to homeowners in June but admitted some residents may not have received various communications as the development was still under way.

Ms Whittaker said the mature trees provided a "massive noise barrier" from trains passing

Resident Anna Whittaker said she returned home on Sunday after a weekend away to see the trees behind her garden fence "falling like dominos".

"We could hear the sound of chainsaws and the trees fell down one by one," she said.

"I actually started crying because I love these trees."

The local journalist added the trees provided a "massive noise barrier" from passing trains.

Claudia Mondini said she and her and her husband Fabricio Tabuchuk felt "very sad" as the trees were being cut down

Another resident Claudia Mondini said she also cried when she saw the trees being felled, adding until Sunday squirrels were regular visitors to their garden.

"I feel very sad," she said.

"When we bought this house, we bought because we have a beautiful environment here.

"Now, we don't know if we want to say here... because they just cut all of them."

Neighbour Katherine Creasey said: "Could it not have been done in a less destructive fashion? Did all of those beautiful trees need to go or could they have been pruned a little bit more carefully?"

Katherine Creasey said the trees should have been pruned rather than cut down completely

Catherine Nuttgens, the urban programme lead at The Woodland Trust, said: "The trees, shrubs and plants that grow on railway sidings provide networks for nature.

"Obviously, safety has to be a priority but also biodiversity is very important.

"What we would like to see from Network Rail, where possible, is to retain mature trees... [which] can't really be replaced by small trees."

In 2018, an independent review recommended Network Rail should avoid large-scale tree felling in favour of careful management to protect green corridors.

Ms Mondini said they may move home as a result of the trees no longer being there

Tara Scott, East Midlands infrastructure director at Network Rail, said the work was designed to "keep the railway running safely and reliably".

"We're really sorry that this has upset some residents," she said.

"Overgrown trees can make it difficult for drivers to see signals clearly, blow onto the line during storms, or cause a slippery build-up of leaves on the tracks in the autumn.

"To prevent this, we cut back all trees within 6.5 metres of the tracks and then prune or reduce trees beyond that."

Overnight work is expected to continue on the railway line until March.