Transpennine Route Upgrade (TRU) has completed the purchase of 26 biodiversity units from Leeds City Council to support enhancements at two woodland sites, Barnbow Woods and Barnbow Hall Woods. The project will deliver 8.32 hectares of long-term woodland habitat enhancement \u2013 equivalent to 11 football pitches \u2013 supporting the programme\u2019s commitment to delivering 10% Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG).<\/p>\n
TRU\u2019s target of 10% BNG is a core part of Our Guiding Compass \u2013 the TRU sustainability strategy \u2013 with the aim of leaving the natural environment along the route in a measurably better state than before construction began. The programme\u2019s approach to delivering this will also set a new standard for future Network Rail projects nationwide.<\/p>\n
Located only 500 metres from the Transpennine route and approximately 3km east of Cross Gates, a station that will benefit from TRU\u2019s wider rail improvement works across the region, the woodland will benefit from a 30-year habitat creation & management programme funded entirely by TRU; this will improve species richness, diversity and abundance through enrichment planting and tree veteranisation.<\/p>\n
Beyond wildlife benefits, healthy woodland helps capture and store carbon, reduces flood risk, and filters air and water pollutants naturally. Additionally, the woodland will act as a community asset \u2013 it is accessible through a series of public footpaths, providing the community with improved access to nature, educational and associated mental health benefits.<\/p>\n
To mark the success, TRU met with Councillor Katie Dye from Leeds City Council at the site to see firsthand the work already underway and receive a detailed briefing on what\u2019s to come.<\/p>\n
Simon Hughes, TRU East environment & sustainability lead, said: \u201cThis is a really exciting milestone for us in our journey to deliver Biodiversity Net Gain across our route. This significant purchase of biodiversity units from Leeds City Council, is the tenth largest biodiversity purchase to date in England. It will unlock new opportunities to enhance wildlife in the area and give local people improved access to nature.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe were pleased to welcome our colleagues at Leeds City Council to see the progress we\u2019re making and are looking forward to seeing how this woodland evolves. Work began in May 2025 and will continue until at least 2055.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is the first delivery of biodiversity units across the TRU programme, which will pave the way for future biodiversity agreements, to take us closer to achieving 10% BNG as we continue to deliver against Our Guiding Compass.\u201d<\/p>\n
Councillor Katie Dye, chair of Leeds City Council’s Climate Emergency Advisory Committee, commented: “We are very pleased to support Transpennine Route Upgrade (TRU) with this project to improve woodland areas and biodiversity at these two sites in Leeds.<\/p>\n
“This project will support and sustain these areas for decades, providing wildlife benefits as well as helping to reduce flood risk, support carbon capture and limiting the impacts of climate change, We look forward to following this project as it develops.”<\/p>\n
Image credit: Network Rail<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Transpennine Route Upgrade (TRU) has completed the purchase of 26 biodiversity units from Leeds City Council to support enhancements at two woodland sites, Barnbow Woods and Barnbow Hall Woods. The project will deliver 8.32 hectares of long-term woodland habitat enhancement \u2013 equivalent to 11 football pitches \u2013 supporting the programme\u2019s commitment to delivering 10% Biodiversity [\u2026]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":13,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[2305,47,16148,85],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-578186","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-environment","category-rail-news","category-rail-projects","category-uk"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t