RAIL bosses have vowed to chop down trees alongside a rail track in Stanford-le-Hope.

The move has sparked fury among campaigners and wildlife groups who wanted the trees, which form a screen between the line and houses on the Homesteads estate, to be cut back.

But Network Rail says it has no option but to fell and refutes residents' allegations it is a cost-cutting exercise to save on maintenance.

Thurrock councillor Pauline Tolson has led opposition against the plan and is very upset by the outcome, branding the rail company a "national disgrace".

She said: "It beggars belief that they have chosen to continue with the proposed cutting back.

"By their own admission, Network Rail has failed to maintain these hedgerows for the last decade.

"Their answer now is to remove and extensively cut back, not maintain.

"One reason being given is that signals are obscured by trees. Are we to believe, then, for the last ten years drivers have not been able to see the signals?

"The removal of the hedgerows will have massive ramifications. There will be an enormous impact on wildlife, massive visual impact for residents."

Mrs Tolson said the campaign now had the support of residents, the Badger Protection Group, Essex Wildlife Trust and officers within Thurrock Council's environmental and horticultural departments.

She added: "Network Rail does not care about the environmental iss-ues. From the outset this entire situation has been handled extremely poorly.

"The company is a national disgrace."

Network Rail spokes-woman Kate Snowdon said it had no option but to remove trees, though she conceded the problem had been exacerbated by the company's failure to do any work on the line.

She said: "For safety reasons we have to cut back five metres and where necessary this will mean the removal of trees.

"We are obliged to do this work because of safety issues.

"These trees can obscure signals, overhang on the power cables and then leaves cause problems by falling on the line.

"We understand that some residents will be upset because we are removing the screen between their homes and the line, but safety comes first.

"This is not a cost-cutting exercise, it is about safety."