Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions he has had with Network Rail on its vegetation management plan.

The Department has commissioned an independent review to look at Network Rail’s approach to vegetation management in England and Wales. This will include an appraisal of all aspects of Network Rail’s strategy, as applied to route management plans across the network. The appointment of John Varley, as Chair of the review, was announced by the Department on the 12 July.

The vegetation management review, which has now commenced, will be engaging with a range of stakeholders over the coming months, including Network Rail, and will report back to the Department in early autumn.