Hedgehog-friendly holes have been included in a timber fencing renewal at Muirend to allow the little creatures to move freely in and around railway property.

Following a recent successful trial at Lanark station where hedgehog holes were added to a boundary fence, the fencing renewal at Muirend was the first time that this approach has been rolled out as standard on a large scale.

Hedgehog-sized holes at regular intervals have been cut along the bottom of new close boarded timber fencing to create ‘Hedgehog Highways’ which allow the animals to move safely between their foraging habitats and their nests.

Railway embankments are a hedgehog haven, with a rich mix of trees and vegetation which provide a safe and food-rich area for the little creatures.

The fencing renewal was carried out to ensure the safety of the operational railway line and improve boundary security for our neighbours.

Sam McIlvaney, scheme project manager, said: “Muirend is the first site where we will be adding hedgehog holes as standard to our timber fencing renewals.

“We have already used this approach on some back-garden fencing work, but this is the first large-scale fencing renewal where we have been able to add the hedgehog holes.

“We are committed to minimising our ecological and environmental impacts and something as simple as adding holes to fences will make a positive contribution to protecting these little creatures for future generations to love.”

It is hoped that over time, this will help reverse the current decline in hedgehog numbers so that they will again become a common sight in gardens and other urban green spaces and benefiting the wider environment.