'Hedgehog highway' created at Lanark station
At a glance
Hedgehogs were getting stuck in a boundary fence at Lanark station.
Following concerns from a local resident, Network Rail has created what it calls a 'hedgehog highway'.
Hedgehog-sized holes have been cut in the fencing.
The gaps will allow the hedgehogs to move more freely around the station grounds.
- Published
A "hedgehog highway" has been created at a South Lanarkshire railway station.
Small holes have been cut at regular intervals along the bottom of the boundary fencing at Lanark to allow the animals to move around the station grounds more freely.
A concerned local resident contacted Network Rail earlier this year after noticing hedgehogs were becoming trapped under a fence at the station.
A team, which included an ecologist, visited the site to better understand the situation and devise ways to stop the animals from getting trapped.
Hedgehog highways are to be rolled out to other stations
The highway has been marked with hedgehog signs and an information board has been installed to highlight the reasons behind the work as well as raising the profile of hedgehogs in general.
Network Rail said it intended to add a small hedgehog-friendly hole at the base of fences at other stations.
Ashleigh Wylie, Network Rail Scotland ecologist, said: “We really appreciate members of the public taking the time to bring things to our attention – particularly where animals may be at risk and we can do something to help – as with the hedgehogs at Lanark station."