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site. Latterly this has extended into the Work Package Plan and Task Briefing processes.


Staff training The success of the Safety Handbook (now in its fourth edition) is partly due to the active engagement of all the staff involved in rail operations. Any new staff member is formally inducted into the handbook and is issued with a personal copy before they are allowed to begin working with the team.


Over the past 18 months, Ground Control has been engaged nationally by Network Rail to clear vegetation from selected structures to allow engineers to undertake assessments of their condition. The remit also requires teams to create safe access routes to the structures, which usually involves an element of working at height, and all teams have been trained in fall arrest techniques while also utilising some specialist rope access teams. The latest revision of the safety handbook includes an updated and refined hierarchy of approach to working at height and this has dovetailed successfully with the Lifesaving rules campaign. When updates are issued these are briefed out to staff to ensure each member is aware of amendments including the use of Network Rail Safety trucks and key personnel where possible.


Future plans and ambitions Historically vegetation clearance has been focused around a variety of project- led objectives from critical cuttings to leaf-fall prevention, and while a great deal of initial clearance has been undertaken, the lack of visibility of future budgets seemed to have prevented any planned maintenance regime from being followed. Ground Control is passionate about its work which is highlighted by its comparison of vegetation clearance to an eternal battle with Mother Nature highlighting its ideology of the need of a long-term maintenance strategy. Excessive re-growth is an issue that affects many that fight to contain vegetation, which is why mechanical methodologies such as flailing and using circular saws can backfire severely if not treated with the


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to deliver herbicides to cut stumps in a safe and effective manner. Due to the unpredictable nature of the weather in the UK, the ability to apply Ecoplugs in all conditions is a bonus point that counters its expensive price tag. Dealing with the existing vegetation is only part of the problem; even Ecoplugging sites will only deal with the original population of trees. This effective control still leaves the ground surrounding the stump open for colonisation by other vegetation. If left alone, nature will take its course and pioneer tree species will colonise the bare ground. Development of an herbaceous layer will delay such colonisation but again, if left unmanaged the pioneer tree species will proliferate.


Ground Control has overseen reactive cyclical re-clearances being instructed for signal sightings and level crossings which have significant safety implications. However, it is increasingly common to see previously cleared cuttings and flail strips which require re-cutting to comply with the vegetation management standard.


What does Utopia look like? It can be assumed off-track managers would love to have a robust maintenance programme in place to maintain the vegetation in a compliant state. In 2010, Wessex Route obtained the go ahead to trial a different approach to lineside vegetation management with reference to longevity.


right herbicides. Long-term maintenance is equally essential to initial works, as without the right treatment there may be repercussions leading to a vegetation backlash which is worse that the initial state of affairs.


There is a 15 minute rule where standard herbicides are most effective after the initial cutting. If this window of opportunity is missed then the cells in the stump begin to close and the liquid is unable to penetrate, meaning the stump remains uncontrolled.


Ecoplugs are the solution to these incidents and are increasingly being used


A site specific, risk-based clearance specification was produced to achieve a compliant outcome. This was then coupled with a five year funded maintenance programme. Ground Control has now completed the third year of maintenance operations and the results are encouraging. Pro-active and timely maintenance operations are seeing a re- establishment of a grassland based ground cover in the 3-5m flail strip area.


• Tel: 0800 334 506


Email: info@ground-control.co.uk Visit www.ground-control.co.uk or contact Peter Allen, Arb director on 01884 849051; peter.allen@ground-control.co.uk


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