Environmental Statement volume 4 - Chiltern Evergreen3

Chiltern Line September 2009Reptile Report1.0 IntroductionBackground1.1 ERM are producing a Nature Conservation Chapter for an Environmental Statement on behalfof Chiltern Railways (CRCL) to assess the upgrade Scheme for the existing railway betweenBicester and Oxford. During a preliminary assessment of the Scheme h abitat running withinthe current Railway b oundary was assessed as having good potential for reptil es, thereforereptile surveys were recommended.1.2 In September 2009, Keyst one Environmental Lt d was instructed by ERM to conduct reptilepresence-absence surveys of 8 sites along the Chiltern Railway Line.Aims and Objectives1.3 The aims a nd obj ectives of the reptile field survey are to inform the Nature Con servationsection of the Environmental Statement, by ascertaining the following:presence/absence of reptilesidentify areas where mitigation is required1.4 However, further surveys will be undertaken to inform detail ed mitigation measures prior toworks commencingSite Characteristics1.5 The Chiltern line ru ns north of Oxford a nd stretches from Oxford station to Bice ster Junction,approximately 20 kilo metres to the no rth-east. Th e propo sed Scheme will comprise of amajority of the rail way e mbankment sup porting a mosai c of habitats, but with the larg estpercentage being scattered and dense scrub. There are also sev eral areas that will be use das site compounds within arable, grassland and mixed woodland.1.6 The majority of the area immediately surrounding the site comprises arable fields and grazedpasture with some small area s of woodland, both mixed and b road-leaved. Towards th enorthern en d of the surve y are a the re is a small nature reserve adjacent to t he railway, atBicester Sewage Treatme nt Wor ks, o wned by Tha mes Water, and larger a reas of den sescrub and u nmanaged g rassland. The southe rn and north ern m ost area s are su rroundedmostly by light industrial and residential areas in Oxford and Bicester respectively.Legislation and Policy1.7 Sand lizard and smooth snake receive protection under the Annex IV of the Habitats Directiveand Annex II (and Recommendation 26) of the Bern Convention. Both species are protectedin the UK under Schedule 2 of the Conservation (Natural Habitats, etc.) Regul ations (1994),and fully pro tected un der Schedul e 5 of t he Wildlife and Cou ntryside Act, 1981 (and a samended). As such it is an offence to:Kill or injure themKeystone Environmental 1