Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that ancient woodlands and trees are protected during the construction of new transport infrastructure.

When considering all new transport infrastructure plans the Government assesses the impact on the environment to ensure the right balance is struck between the expected social and economic benefits and the impact on the natural environment.

The National Policy Statement for National Networks sets out the Government’s policy on development of nationally significant infrastructure projects on the national road and rail networks in England. The NPS is the primary basis for making decisions on development consent applications and the guidance it provides recognizes that ancient woodland is a valuable resource both for its diversity of species and for its longevity as woodland.