Network Rail and overgrown vegetation onto your garden

[Neil]

Anyone got anywhere with Network Rail regarding brambles and weeds growing through fences onto their land where people back onto railways?
My garden backs onto the Eastbourne to Pevensey line and the track is on a bank which falls towards my garden we have been there 3 years now and 2 or 3 times a year the access at the back of our property is blocked by 6ft high brambles and weeds and also comes through the fence by quite a way .
We either have to clear ourselves or get someone to do it .
We have contacted Network rail who dont really give a shit,fistly sent us a standard letter about not pruning due to preservation of trees
When I told them it was brambles .
Now they want me to write and complain(not email) to a faceless department The Community Relations Complaints Proceedure Network Rail HQ.

Anyone know anyone high up in Network rail I can email or does anyone know of any other way. Even tried the Council who are a waste of time.

 

[seagullsovergrimsby]

Do you actually own the the section of back garden nearest the track as traditionally the railway companies owned a strip of land on both sides of the track which was passed down after nationalisation to BR and latterly Network Rail. When we looked at a house in Broderick Road with the rear garden backing onto the railway line the bottom quarter of the garden was leasehold.

 

[Pinkie Brown]

Anyone got anywhere with Network Rail regarding brambles and weeds growing through fences onto their land where people back onto railways?
My garden backs onto the Eastbourne to Pevensey line and the track is on a bank which falls towards my garden we have been there 3 years now and 2 or 3 times a year the access at the back of our property is blocked by 6ft high brambles and weeds and also comes through the fence by quite a way .
We either have to clear ourselves or get someone to do it .
We have contacted Network rail who dont really give a shit,fistly sent us a standard letter about not pruning due to preservation of trees
When I told them it was brambles .
Now they want me to write and complain(not email) to a faceless department The Community Relations Complaints Proceedure Network Rail HQ.

Anyone know anyone high up in Network rail I can email or does anyone know of any other way. Even tried the Council who are a waste of time.

You just know with a name like that, you're going to be bogged down in a quagmire of bureaucracy.

My Grandparents used to have a house that backed onto the railway near Bexhill. When I spent time there as a kid, it was a regular occurrence to see work gangs cutting back the vegetation. When I went past their old house on the train a few weeks ago, the overhanging trees & vegetation were brushing the side of the train (I kid you not!)

That excuse about preserving trees is bullshit. More about preserving money. They are technically a Government subsidiary that oversees the running & maintenance of railway property. Surely they must have a legal duty to upkeep that property as part of their remit?

Maybe worth a letter to your local MP asking for advice?

 

[Birdie Boy]

I lived in a house backing on to a railway for about 10 years, only remember the shrubs/trees being cut twice, so maybe it is a five year thing...

For CEO emails, see http://ceoemail.com/

Network Rail was David.Higgins@networkrail.co.uk but was last verified 20th May 2011 so not sure if up to date.

 

[carlzeiss]

Roundup works for me

 

[Neil]

Do you actually own the the section of back garden nearest the track as traditionally the railway companies owned a strip of land on both sides of the track which was passed down after nationalisation to BR and latterly Network Rail. When we looked at a house in Broderick Road with the rear garden backing onto the railway line the bottom quarter of the garden was leasehold.

My property only has a chainlink fence as a barrier between the railway bank near Friday St in Langney and my property and the weeds just grow through, they really need to clear at least a 6ft barrier between the brambles and my fence or put more of a barrier up between , I even offered to get over there and do it with a high powered strimmer

 

[Train Spotter]

Who to contact
Please send us your complaint by letter to:
Community Relations Complaints Procedure
Network Rail HQ
Kings Place
90 York Way
London
N1 9AG

If you have a complaint about a legal or contractual dispute, you’ll need to contact stakeholderrelations@networkrail.co.uk

08457 11 41 41