NETWORK Rail want to cut down trees next to Dalgety Bay Railway Station to prevent delays caused by leaves on the line.

It’s part of a national project to tackle Autumn-related issues which cause disruption to train services every year and pose a “serious risk to rail safety”.

The proposals would affect a stretch around 1km and work would be carried out from August to December.

A Network Rail spokesperson explained: “Unmanaged vegetation can pose a serious risk to rail safety as trees can fall onto the line in bad weather or, when overgrown, branches and foliage can obscure signals from a driver’s view or damage overhead power cables in areas with electrified lines.

“In Autumn, leaves on the line can affect trains’ breaking distances and interfere with our signalling systems.

“We carefully manage the growth of vegetation near the railway to help control these and other potential safety risks.

“We also have a team of ecologists within our business to advise on the best way to reduce the impact of our works on wildlife and the environment.”

The pilot project involves the felling of woodland outside the railway boundary, with the aim of reducing leaf volume and improving safety.

Network Rail say the work will also target trees which are at risk of falling onto the tracks or railway infrastructure, leading to damage and further disruption.

If plans go ahead, all trees from a 10 metres-wide strip parallel to the line would be removed with a further 10m strip cleared of selective trees.

Trees requiring removal to ameliorate leaf fall or mitigate potential danger will be identified during site survey and marked for ease of identification, prior to carrying out any tree removal.

Ecologists have already been involved to identify a number of trees to be retained for biodiversity reasons, such as bat roosts.

Network Rail will be also be replanting the cleared areas with tree and shrub species which do not contribute to leaf fall issues, and maintaining these for up to five years, to provide a sustainable method for managing the regrowth of woodland and to minimise the impact of the work on the local area.

Dalgety Bay Community Council have invited the company to their next meeting to discuss the issue.