To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many tunnels for hedgehogs his Department constructed under (a) railway lines and (b) roads in each month of the last 24 months for which data is available.
Network Rail’s estate is large and varied, and includes railway tunnels, cuttings and bridges, all of which offer habitats for animals to thrive in. Network Rail manages these habitats sensitively in order to encourage biodiversity while ensuring the safety of the railway. They do not hold data on any tunnels under railway lines that may have been specifically built for hedgehogs.
Highways England use a range of mitigation measures to reduce any danger to animals in the delivery of their schemes. These include tunnels, culverts, underpasses, adapted farm crossings and species-specific structures. They do these for a range of animals, not specifically for hedgehogs. Appropriate fencing and planting may also be included to encourage use of the crossings and/or to integrate them within the surrounding environment.