Natural Value Working Group
31/05/2022
The purpose of the Natural Value Working Group (NVWG) is to lead and define a strategic approach on the role of natural value and biodiversity in relation to the rail industry.
"The government’s 25 Year Environment Plan is clear that our natural environment faces greater challenges than ever. Society will need to take immediate and ongoing action to protect and enhance our natural environment. The railway’s contribution, as one of the country’s largest landowners, will be significant in delivering a net gain for biodiversity along 20,000 miles of linear routes and 52,000 hectares of land, which provide a network of remarkable wildlife corridors and habitats. Wider ambitions must include showing demonstrable improvements in natural capital more generally across the railway estate, including using water sustainably. This work forms an important part of the Sustainable Rail Blueprint and I am pleased to be involved in this exciting agenda."
Scope
The NVWG seeks to:
- Lead on a coherent narrative on the role of natural value and biodiversity, defining the strategic approach for inclusion within the Sustainable Rail Blueprint (SRB).
- Prioritise protection and improvement of the natural environment in and around the rail network.
- Influence policy on natural value and biodiversity including but not limited to procurement, contracting and investment decisions.
- Advance and promote appropriate natural value and biodiversity in rail operations, projects and strategic planning.
- Collate and communicate natural value and biodiversity information.
- Identify research and development needs around natural value and biodiversity and act as steering group for such projects.
- Enable a strategic approach to capacity building (competency, knowledge, and awareness) in natural value and biodiversity across the industry.
- Facilitate cross-industry networks and activities that encourage collaboration, solve challenges and ensure natural value and biodiversity is included in rail projects and operations.
Membership
The NVWG has members representing these industry stakeholders:
- Passenger railway undertakings
- Freight railway undertakings
- Network Rail and other infrastructure managers
- High Speed 2
- Government: Defra and Department for Transport
- Transport Scotland
- Transport for Wales
- Office of Rail and Road
- Natural England / Natural Resources Wales / Scottish Natural Heritage
Chair: John Varley (OBE), Clinton Devon
RSSB main representative: Samuel Jones
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Group members
Name Company Representing Status Alex Hanson Department For Transport (DfT) Government Member Amanda Porritt Colas Rail Infrastructure Contractors Member Angharad Owen Network Rail - Wales & Western Region Infrastructure Managers Member Angus Corby Transport Scotland Government Member Anna Humphries Network Rail Infrastructure Limited Infrastructure Managers Member Cerian Baldwin NatureScot NatureScot Member Charlotte Bryett Alstom Suppliers Member Chris Davis Natural England Government Member Claire Wansbury Atkins Limited Suppliers Member David Prys-Jones High Speed Two (HS2) High Speed Two (HS2) Member David Whitehorne East West Rail Passenger Train Operators Member Deborah Hall Natural England Government Member Eloise Rowan Govia Thameslink Railway Passenger Train Operators Member Emma Alexander First Rail Holdings Limited Passenger Train Operators Member Erin White Porterbrook Rolling Stock Owners Member George Davies RSSB RSSB Member Isabel Davis Freightliner Limited Non Passenger Train Operators Member James Lock Natural England Government Member Jayne Savage Clinton Estates Clinton Estates Observer John Varley Clinton Estates Clinton Estates Chair Katherine Drayson Transport For London (TFL) Transport For London (TFL) Member Keith Goss Balfour Beatty Suppliers Member Laura Jones Transport for Wales Infrastructure Managers Member Livia Morarasu
RSSB RSSB IGM Member Louise Moon Transport for Wales Government Member Mark Bailey High Speed Two (HS2) Limited High Speed Two (HS2) Limited Member Max Heaver DEFRA Government Member Monika Kiss Transport For London (TFL) Government Member Neil Harwood Ove Arup & Partners International Ltd Ove Arup & Partners International Ltd Member Neil Strong Network Rail Infrastructure Limited Infrastructure Managers Member Nicholas Pritchard Natural Resources Wales Government Member Nick Crocker First Rail Holdings Limited Passenger Train Operators Member Nick White Natural England Government Member Rebecca Powell Transport for London (TfL) Government Member Richard Pullen DEFRA Government Member Ryan Hans Avanti Westcoast Passenger Train Operators Member Samuel Jones RSSB RSSB Member Simon Weller Murphy Group Infrastructure Managers Member Sophie Coleman Department for Transport (DfT) Government Member Steve Glider Transpennine Trains Limited Passenger Train Operators Member Stuart Parker First Group PLC Passenger Train Operators Member Suzanna Jackman Transport For London (TFL) Transport For London (TFL) Member Suzanne Sinclair ranslink Passenger Train Operators Member Thom Rawson RSSB RSSB Member
