CTRL and the Environment
Bat Caves, Water Vole Subways and Dormouse Bridges
Crossing the M2 in Kent is a hazardous undertaking, especially for the Hazel Dormice who live in woodland near Rochester. However, those of them that choose to cross the new Channel Tunnel Rail Link will have a less stressful time of it. After nature experts had identified the normal crossing routes favoured by the tiny furry dormice, two bridges were built over the line to let them cross in safety.
To make them feel even more at home, the bridges are being covered with ancient woodland soil and planted with a variety of mature trees. This will encourage their use by not only dormice but also badgers, rabbits and who knows what other denizens of the night and the shadier parts of our woodlands and meadows.
These bridges are only a part of the £300 million investment in the environment being made by London & Continental Railways. They are also spending a small fortune on tunnels for water voles, bat boxes and specially-built bat caves, providing the right humidity and temperature for the nocturnal creatures. All this will involve moving 15,500 cubic yards of ancient soil, planting 1.2 million trees along the 68-mile route of the rail link and moving listed buildings to at least 60 yards from the track.
And the bottom line? All this ecological work will actually create more habitat for the wildlife than will be destroyed. Beatrix Potter would have been proud of them.