STATION MODERNISATION AND EQUIPMENT
Martin Benson, of rail industry bird control specialist Reactive Group Services, says train operators and maintenance companies can rid themselves of the problems posed by pigeons and other birds.
I
t’s fair to say that the presence of birds on railway property presents a real chal-
lenge to TOCs and maintenance compa- nies. Droppings are slippery in wet weath- er, diffi cult to clean, encourage insects and can also be inhaled as dust when they dry out, raising a small but potential risk of sal- monella, ornithosis and other diseases.
The solution to these issues can seem de- ceptively simple; get rid of the birds and you will get rid of the problematic mess. However, our feathered friends are a little more clever and stubborn than we often give them credit for and will rarely leave a warm perch over a platform without good reason.
Determined
And it is not always simply a case of ‘just install some spikes’ where nuisance birds are roosting on stations or bridges. Deter- rent spikes come in all shapes and sizes and are often seen as a ‘quick fi x’ to most bird issues. They can be fi tted relatively simply and (in appropriate locations) offer a cheap and effective method of humanely shifting pigeons.
However, spikes have their limitations and rarely trouble smaller species such as starlings or house martins, which can hop among and between them. Even pigeons will drop twigs or litter onto the spikes and weave nests out of them if they are really determined to stay. Gulls, although not as common around stations as other birds, will simply pull spikes off ledges or fl atten
74 | rail technology magazine Apr/May 11
Birds of prey can also be used to scare birds from larger sites and even inside buildings. This has happened in Blackpool’s new tram sheds, using Harris hawks to keep pigeons from settling at night.
There are many different deterrent systems available and Reactive Group will offer ad- vice bespoke to the site in question, ensur- ing treatment is effective and makes the available budget go further.
Expertise
Bird deterrent works often need posses- sions and isolations if installing above the tracks or the platform edge, as well as lane closures and traffi c management for vehicles when working beneath bridges. By their nature these are usually done at
them if they are one of the heavier species.
From experience, netting is usually the best method of preventing pest birds from us- ing features beneath canopies or bridges. Recent works on Manchester’s Metrolink stations netted off whole platform canopies against pigeons, while on smaller sites oth- er deterrents were applied on light fi ttings used by the birds.
However, netting can cause maintenance diffi culties with lights or CCTV systems located above the material that may have to be serviced or inspected. With the right thought and consideration before installa- tion this can be overcome, for example with zipped access points.
height and require specialist access equip- ment like road-rail cherry pickers or tower scaffolds to reach awkward areas.
All this requires expertise. It’s vital to get things right fi rst time; planning the detail and ensuring only properly-trained and competent personnel are used. Unfortu- nately pest birds aren’t going to go away any time soon and overall, it’s a case of staying one step ahead of them.
If you don’t, you might want to glance over- head next time you are standing on an un- treated railway platform. It might just save on the dry cleaning bill.
Reactive Group’s rail team has ten years’ experience of providing bird control on rail sites. In the last year we’ve worked for a number of TOCs including Virgin, Metrolink (in Manchester) Transpennine Express.
and First
We have also worked with maintenance companies such as AMCO, Galliford Try and Volker Fitzpatrick where there have been problems on bridges and other sites.
Reactive Group are one of the few pest control companies to achieve ‘Link-Up’ certifi cation. All our site staff are directly employed, and they have PTS (Personal Track Safety) qualifi cations.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
T: 01925 393707 E:
info@reactivegroupservices.com W:
www.reactivegroupservices.com
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