Vegetation clearing activities

The request was successful.

Dear Network Rail Limited,

Please provide details of your policy with regard to vegetation clearing along train lines. Specific aspects include:
- what factors determine clearing activities? (time based, distance from train carriages or other)
- specific conditions covering vegetation clearing activities and patterns alongside track between VIC and MEP
- arrangements to monitor for, and respond to, overgrown vegetation conditions between VIC and MEP

Also please provide the following information for the last 3 years:
- amount spent per year on vegetation clearing on the VIC - MEP section of track
- number of reports of overgrown vegetation from train drivers for the VIC-MEP section of track and a summary of resulting actions
- number of complaints regarding overgrown vegetation on the VIC - MEP section and a summary of resulting actions
- details of any damages or lost service availability (including delays and cancellations) as a result of overgrown vegetation

Yours faithfully,
Richard Norman

FOI, Network Rail Limited

Reference number: FOI2015/00878

Dear Mr Norman,

Information request

Your correspondence was received by Network Rail on 16th September 2015. I
can confirm that your request is being processed under the terms of the
Freedom of Information Act (FOIA)/Environmental Information Regulations
(EIR) as appropriate.  I will endeavour to respond to you as soon as
possible and in any event by 14th October 2015.

On occasion we may need to consult with third parties about requests, in
line with the recommendations in the Code of Practice issued by the then
Secretary of State for Constitutional Affairs.

If you have any queries please contact me.

Please remember to quote your reference number in all future
communications.

Yours sincerely

Emma Wolstenholme

Information Officer

Freedom of Information Team

The Quadrant

Elder Gate

Milton Keynes

MK9 1EN

Telephone: 01908 782405

Email: [1][Network Rail request email]

Web: [2]www.networkrail.co.uk/foi

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References

Visible links
1. mailto:[network%20rail%20request%20email]
2. http://www.networkrail.co.uk/foi

FOI, Network Rail Limited

Dear Mr Norman,

Information request 

Reference number: FOI2015/00878

Thank you for your email of 16th September 2015. You requested the
following information:

“Please provide details of your policy with regard to vegetation clearing
along train lines. Specific aspects include:

- what factors determine clearing activities? (time based, distance from
train carriages or other)

- specific conditions covering vegetation clearing activities and patterns
alongside track between VIC and MEP

- arrangements to monitor for, and respond to, overgrown vegetation
conditions between VIC and MEP

Also please provide the following information for the last 3 years:

- amount spent per year on vegetation clearing on the VIC - MEP section of
track

- number of reports of overgrown vegetation from train drivers for the
VIC-MEP section of track and a summary of resulting actions

- number of complaints regarding overgrown vegetation on the VIC - MEP
section and a summary of resulting actions

- details of any damages or lost service availability (including delays
and cancellations) as a result of overgrown vegetation”

I have reviewed your request and consulted with experts within Network
Rail, but I cannot identify the information you require from the details
you have provided. To help me meet your request, I would be grateful if
you could provide further details, specifically:

You asked for “- details of any damages or lost service availability
(including delays and cancellations) as a result of overgrown vegetation”.
Would you like the figures for delays and cancellations as a result of
overgrown vegetation nationally or only for the London Victoria- Meopham
section of track as specified in the other elements of your request?

I am unable to progress your request without this information, so I will
close your case until I receive your response. In accordance with the
Freedom of Information Act 2000 the 20 working days I have to respond to
your request will commence when I receive your clarification.

If you would like to discuss any of the above please feel free to contact
me. Please remember to quote the reference number above in all future
correspondence.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Yours sincerely

Emma Wolstenholme

Information Officer

Freedom of Information Team

The Quadrant

Elder Gate

Milton Keynes

MK9 1EN

Telephone: 01908 782405

Email: [1][Network Rail request email]

Web: [2]http://www.networkrail.co.uk/foi/

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References

Visible links
1. mailto:[network%20rail%20request%20email]
2. http://www.networkrail.co.uk/foi/

Dear FOI,

My request refers to the VIC-MEP section - including any services that pass through this section of track to or from other locations (e.g.Gillingham, Sheerness-on-Sea etc.)

Yours sincerely,

Richard Norman

Network Rail Limited

Reference number: FOI2015/01050

Dear Richard Norman

Information request

Your correspondence was received by Network Rail on 22 August 2015. I can
confirm that your request is being processed under the terms of the
Freedom of Information Act 2000/Environmental Information Regulations
2004. I will endeavour to respond to you as soon as possible and in any
event by 19th November.

On occasion we may need to consult with third parties about requests, in
line with the recommendations in the Code of Practice issued by the then
Secretary of State for Constitutional Affairs.

If you have any queries please do not hesitate to contact me.

Please remember to quote your reference number in all future
communications.

Yours sincerely

Jonathan Mantle

Information Officer
Freedom of Information Team
The Quadrant
Elder Gate
Milton Keynes
MK9 1EN

Telephone: 01908 782405
Email: [Network Rail request email]
Web: www.networkrail.co.uk/foi

FOI, Network Rail Limited

3 Attachments

Dear Mr Norman

Please find attached a letter from Network Rail in response to your recent
Freedom of Information request.

Jonathan Mantle

Information Officer

Network Rail

Freedom of Information

The Quadrant

Elder Gate

Milton Keynes

MK9 1EN

T 01908 782405

E [1][Network Rail request email]

cid:image001.jpg@01D0DB5C.313E6030

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Baines Jon, Network Rail Limited

Dear Mr Norman

I apologise for contacting you at this late stage of your request, but I can confirm that we have collated a significant amount of information in preparation for sending it to you, but in order to ensure we respond to your request as fully and correctly as we can, I wonder if I can clarify one final point from you. One part of your request was for

"...details of your policy with regard to vegetation clearing along train lines. Specific aspects include:...[etc]"

Could you please clarify whether you are asking for a copy of the policy itself, or those specific aspects you list? To explain: I am given to understand that the policy itself is contained as part of a Network Rail/Industry Standard to which an exemption might apply, but we should be able to extract those specific aspects should you only wish to have them.

Once we have received clarification on this point we should be able to respond relatively promptly to you.

Yours sincerely
Jon Baines
Freedom of Information Manager – Request Handling
Network Rail

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Dear Baines Jon,

Thank you for your reply. I confirm that I am interested only in the effective policy - i.e. if there are other documents or policies that refer or take precedence or in other ways inter-relate with the Network Rail one, then it is the resulting requirements.

Thank you.

Yours sincerely,
Richard Norman

FOI, Network Rail Limited

1 Attachment

Reference number: FOI2015/01332

Dear Mr Norman

Information request

Your correspondence was received by Network Rail on 23rd December. I can
confirm that your request is being processed under the terms of the
Freedom of information Act 2000/Environmental Information Regulations
2004. I will endeavour to respond to you as soon as possible and in any
event by 26 January 2016.

If you have any queries please do not hesitate to contact me.

Please remember to quote your reference number in all future
communications.

Jonathan Mantle

Information Officer

Network Rail

Freedom of Information

The Quadrant

Elder Gate

Milton Keynes

MK9 1EN

T 01908 782405

E [1][Network Rail request email]

cid:image001.jpg@01D0DB5C.313E6030

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Network Rail Limited

6 Attachments

  • Attachment

    FOI Disclosing information 01332.pdf

    67K Download View as HTML

  • Attachment

    Volumes cleared FOI VIR.xls

    529K Download View as HTML

  • Attachment

    Victoria to Meopham Delays.xls

    44K Download View as HTML

  • This attachment has been hidden. There are various reasons why we might have done this, sorry we can't be more specific here. Please contact us if you have any questions.
  • This attachment has been hidden. There are various reasons why we might have done this, sorry we can't be more specific here. Please contact us if you have any questions.
  • Attachment

    Cancellations.xls

    5K Download View as HTML

Dear Mr Norman

Please find attached our response to your Freedom of Information request.

If you have any queries please do not hesitate to contact me.

Yours sincerely

Jonathan Mantle

Information Officer

Freedom of Information Team

The Quadrant

Elder Gate

Milton Keynes

MK9 1EN

Telephone: 01908 782405

Email: [Network Rail request email]

Web: http://www.networkrail.co.uk/foi/

Dear Network Rail Limited,

Thank you for your response. While I accept the reason for declining to provide figures regarding costs of vegetation clearance, I am not happy with the response regarding complaints.

You state "The chief factor that determines our vegetation clearing activities is the National
Standard for Management of Lineside Vegetation. This standard is predominantly
guided by the principle that there should be a distance of 6 metres between
vegetation and the nearest running rail. This is not, however, an absolute and there
are differences depending line speeds and local conditions. "

and

"In terms of the arrangements to monitor and respond to overgrown vegetation on the VIC-MEP section of the network, we regularly carry out inspections of the track. From the information generated by these inspections we develop plans (most notably our weed spraying trains which run in the summer) necessary to maintain the 6 metre clearance zone between the track and vegetation . "

This is clearly failing to be effective because branches were regularly hitting commuter trains for months during the summer so the required 6 metre clearance was not being maintained on this section of track. I complained about this and I believe that others did as there was fairly widespread concern that failure to manage this encroachment would lead to the usual delays when autumn came. I think it is therefore important for transparency that the public be provided the requested information about complaints received so that the public can assess whether the response of Network Rail was adequate - especially as Network Rail was not able to maintain the separation required by the standard. I therefore request an internal review of this please.

Yours faithfully,
Richard Norman

FOI, Network Rail Limited

Dear Mr Norman

Internal review request
Reference number: FOI2016/00108

Thank you for your email of 27 January 2016 requesting an internal review of the handling of your request.

The purpose of the internal review procedure is to provide a fair, thorough and independent review of the handling of the request, and of decisions taken pursuant to the Environmental Information Regulations 2004.

We will endeavour to respond to you on or before 24 February 2016. We will write to you if an extension is required.

If you have any queries please contact us.

Please remember to quote the reference number above in all future communications about the internal review.

Yours sincerely

Colin Bendall
Information Officer - Compliance & Appeals
Freedom of Information Team
The Quadrant
Elder Gate
Milton Keynes
MK9 1EN

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Bendall Colin, Network Rail Limited

1 Attachment

Dear Mr Norman

Internal review request
Reference number: FOI2016/00108

Please find attached our response to your request for an internal review.

Yours sincerely

Colin Bendall
Information Officer - Compliance & Appeals
Freedom of Information Team
The Quadrant
Elder Gate
Milton Keynes
MK9 1EN

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