A Nottinghamshire man has raised concerns after rail works left the area looking "awful". Network Rail said it has been cutting back trees and vegetation along the line between Mansfield and Trowell to improve safety and train reliability.
But Peter Storer who lives in Wollaton Vale, complained the ongoing work - which started last October - has "ruined" the area as trees and other vegetation have been removed. The 56-year-old managing director of a consultancy company said: "The railway is about ten yards from my house, but prior to the work taking place there were lovely trees and bushes sort of hiding the railway so you couldn't see it.
"Last year they started doing some work - and it was during the night but they let us know which is fine - but the work they have done is literally just devastation. It looks awful what they have done.
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"There are big tree stumps just sticking out, and the damage it has done to the wildlife. I appreciate they had to do it to make sure the journeys are safe, but they have literally taken everything back and nothing is ever going to grow again there now. It just looks awful."
He added: "It's a shame as they have completely ruined this part of the line. It looks completely bare, like a hurricane comes through.
"We had a lot of birds in the area and squirrels, but there is nothing there for them now along the line. They just seem to have left all these tree branches at the side. It's a travesty for the wildlife and the impact it's had on the environment."
Responding to his concerns, Tara Scott, East Midlands infrastructure director for Network Rail, said: "To keep the railway running safely and reliably, we're cutting back trees and vegetation along the line between Mansfield and Trowell. We're really sorry that this has upset some residents.
"Overgrown trees can make it difficult for drivers to see signals clearly, blow on to 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.
"As part of our commitment to biodiversity, we'll be retaining smaller more sustainable trees to create habitat for wildlife in this area."
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