Interaction of vegetation with the LUL surface railway system: M. J. Gellatley, B. T. McGinnity, D. H. Barker & W. J. Rankin, in: Vegetation and slopes: stabilisation, protection and ecology. Proc. conference, Oxford, 1994, ed. D.H. Barker, (Thomas Telford, for ICE), 1995, pp 60–71

Abstract

The London Underground Limited (LUL) public transportation system comprises some 400 route kilometres of track with just in excess of half of this forming the surface section of the system. Vegetation performs an important engineering function on the surface railway in providing shelter from the effects of wind and snow, in maintaining and enhancing the stability of earthwork slopes and in providing visual and acoustic screening. Vegetation growth also has important implications for the local ecology and wider environment. This has been recognised and recently LUL have taken steps towards defining and implementing integrated vegetation management standards. This paper provides an assessment of the interaction of vegetation with LUL earthworks slopes and structures within the surface railway corridor and reports on current vegetation maintenance standards and strategies. For the covering abstract see ITRD E116612.