Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent steps (a) his Department and (b) agencies of his Department have taken to support the National Pollinator Strategy on (i) roads (ii) railway lines.

Highways England recognise the critical role of pollinators and support the National Pollinator Strategy through their Biodiversity Plan. Highways England’s delivery of 3500 hectares of wildflower rich grassland is in progress and will support a wide range of pollinating insects.

Further details of how Highways England will support the National Pollinator Strategy are available on:

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/441300/N150146_-_Highways_England_Biodiversity_Plan3lo.pdf

Network Rail has been working on a range of initiatives across the country aimed at protecting pollinators, such as the Green Transport Corridors Project in Cumbria and South Yorkshire, where locations were identified for pollinator habitat creation and enhancement.