Channel Tunnel Rail Link (CTRL)

Clients: Various, including Balfour Beatty Major Projects, Skanska, Hochtief Norwest Holst, Murphy, Kier Construction and Nuttall.

Date: 1998 to 2005

ECL provided ecologists for a number of the CTRL construction contracts in London and Kent. Our ecologists advised the contractors on such matters as ecological mitigation, the safeguarding of protected species and dealing with invasive/noxious plants. We worked with the contractors on the ground, directly overseeing and guiding works in sensitive areas. Examples of the type of work undertaken include:

• Design and construction of an artificial badger sett to replace an existing sett affected by construction works.
• Mitigation for the loss of water vole habitat on Swanscombe Marshes, including the creation of new ditch habitats and the displacement of water voles from ditches affected by the construction of the Thames Tunnel.
• Translocation of ancient woodland soils to mitigate for habitat loss.
• Construction of a bat hibernaculum to compensate for brown long-eared bat roost to be lost as part of the works.
• Creation of new reedbeds.
• Translocation of fish populations, including protected species such as brook lamprey and bullhead, from streams and rivers affected by works.
• Implementing protection measures for ecologically important features, from SSSIs and SINCs down to smaller features such as ponds, hedges and individual trees.
• Moving reptiles and amphibians (including great crested newt) from areas affected by works into new areas of new habitat specifically created as receptor sites.