The Berks, Bucks & Oxon Wildlife Trust welcomes the aspiration from HS2 Ltd to create a green corridor along the route of HS2, and we certainly hope that it will create more wildlife habitats, and integrate these with the wider landscape.

The visual representation of the green corridor in the Green Corridor Vision booklet is far removed from reality. It does not show the gantries and other railway infrastructure including high fences that will impact on the movement of wildlife.

It is disingenuous to show trees and other vegetation close to the railway line, when we know that tree planting will be done up to 5km from the line to avoid encouraging wildlife close to the railway.

The negative impacts of HS2 on wildlife will be significant. While we welcome the repetition of the commitment to building green bridges for bats and barn owls among other habitat enhancements in Buckinghamshire, much more needs to be done than is described in the booklet to ensure that the project achieves a net gain for wildlife.

Read what BBOWT is doing to protect wildlife along the route of HS2.