New research shows only 12% of local authorities have an action plan for nature recovery

THE Woodland Trust is urging local authorities to declare a nature emergency and take urgent steps to restore severely depleted wildlife and natural green spaces in their communities.

With UK British wildlife species declining by an average of 19% since 1970 and nearly 1 in 6 at risk of extinction, the charity warns that urgent action is needed for nature.

The Trust has launched a new Nature Emergency  Scorecard, which reveals that despite the UK's nations being among the most nature depleted countries in the world, just 25% of local authorities have declared a nature emergency, and only 12% have a nature action plan.

Announcing the launch, Louise Wilkinson, the Woodland Trust's nature recovery lead, said:- "Local authorities; as landowners, policy makers, and local champions; have a unique role in driving the change that nature urgently needs. Many are not doing enough, and a nature emergency declaration is a vital 1st step in acknowledging the challenge and turning it into nature recovery on the ground. By putting nature on an emergency footing, Councils can take meaningful steps to reverse decades of decline and create healthier, greener communities for people and wildlife alike."

The Trust is calling on Councils to identify land for habitat restoration and plant trees to improve tree equity; studies show higher levels of tree cover directly relates to better health outcomes. For local authorities facing severe financial challenges, the Trust proposes allowing wildflowers and grass grow on public land, which costs nothing but provides vital support for struggling wildlife. The Trust also urges Councils to require developers to play their part by committing to 30% tree canopy cover on new housing estates or retrofitting trees in areas with less than 16% cover.

Doncaster Council is 1 local authority that has declared a nature emergency and has a plan for nature.

Doncaster Mayor Ros Jones said:- "In 2021 I committed to see a million trees planted across Doncaster over a 10 year period. So far, a grand total of 339,795 trees and over 247,000 tree seeds have been planted across the City of Doncaster. We're improving our green spaces and creating the woodlands and treescape for current and future generations. Working in partnership with residents, businesses and landowners, we are determined to meet our:- 'Million Tree Challenge' and increase our tree coverage across Doncaster from 13% to 17% by planting more trees in urban areas, community spaces, town centres, gateway green areas and woodlands."

To demonstrate commitment to meaningful action for nature's recovery, the Woodland Trust wants to see declarations from local authorities supported by:-

•  Development of a nature emergency action plan.
  

• Nature's recovery being embedded into plans and policies.
  

•  Plans to manage 30% of Council land for nature recovery by 2030.

The website offers support and advice to local authorities, including:- an example motion and case studies, to support them to declare nature emergencies or to strengthen the declarations they have already made.

The Trust is also calling on the public to contact their Council leader using our templated e-action found on the website. The templated emails are tailored to whether the Councils have declared a nature emergency and ask them to take robust action to recover nature where they live.

The Woodland Trust has worked with Climate Emergency UK and mySociety, to develop the nature emergency website.

Andy Egan, the Trust's Head of Conservation Policy added::- "The nature crisis is every bit as critical as the climate crisis. We have seen the benefits of local authorities declaring climate emergencies and taking climate action, which is why we are calling on all local authorities to join the 100 trailblazers who have already done so and to make their own nature emergency declaration. And this new website is a great resource to help them do this."

Nationally, through a Nature Recovery Network, the Government has made the commitment to protect and effectively manage 30% of England's land and sea for nature by 2030, halt species decline by 2030 and increase species abundance by at least 10%, as well as restore or create more than 500,000 hectares of wildlife-rich habitat outside protected sites by 2042.

New era of rail accountability for passengers as performance data goes live at stations

PASSENGERS across England can now see how reliable their local train services are, as performance data goes live at over 1,700 stations.

The data, broken down by operator, shows the percentage of trains cancelled and how punctual trains are at each station, marking the 1st time that station-level data has been available in the history of the railway. It is now live at major stations through digital screens, where possible, and at most smaller stations, passengers will be able to scan a QR code to see the data online.

This fulfils a commitment made by the Department to be fully transparent with passengers, demonstrating how the railways are working and allowing the public to hold train operators to account as we bring services into public ownership.

As well as delivering more reliable, better quality services, these reforms will catalyse economic growth through improved connectivity, delivering on the Government's Plan for Change. By holding operators to account, they will be encouraged:- to drive up efficiency and productivity; providing better value for money for passengers and driving forward the Government's growth mission by delivering better connectivity.

The Government is determined to drive up performance, and the Rail Minister is meeting with all train operators to address concerns and demand immediate action. In response, the industry has set out a framework with clear areas of focus, including:- timetable resilience and staffing, to recover performance to acceptable levels.

Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander will visit Reading station today to mark the launch of the displays.

Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said:- "Today marks the beginning of a new era of rail accountability. These displays are a step towards rebuilding trust with passengers using our railways, as we continue to tackle the root causes of frustrating delays and cancellations. Through fundamental rail reform, we're sweeping away decades of dysfunctionality; putting passengers first, driving growth through connectivity as part of this Government's Plan for Change."

Each station's data can also be found on the ORR's new data portal, which contains punctuality and reliability information for all stations in Great Britain. The online data is also screen reader compatible, for those with accessibility needs.

The screens also display a short commentary on work underway by the operators and Network Rail to improve performance, informing and assuring passengers of the ongoing work across their area to improve the reliability and efficiency of services.

Jacqueline Starr, Chair and Chief Executive of Rail Delivery Group, said:- "We know how frustrating it is for customers when their train is cancelled or delayed. By being transparent with this data and the positive actions we're taking, it shows how serious the industry is in putting this right by continuing to strive for improvements. This send a clear message to customers the rail sector is committed to improving punctuality and to find solutions to make train services more reliable."

Natasha Grice, Director at the independent watchdog Transport Focus, said:- "Passengers tell us they want a reliable, on-time train service and will welcome improvements to information about the punctuality of their service and cancellations being shared more transparently. It's important that the industry uses this information to drive up performance."

This forms part of a wider overhaul of the railways, which will establish Great British Railways (GBR) as a new body to bring track and train together, to end years of fragmentation and waste. GBR will relentlessly focus on driving up standards for passengers, and proposals for how it will run, including:- plans for a powerful new passenger standards watchdog, are currently under consultation.

Separately, the landmark Public Ownership Act will improve services and save taxpayers up to £150m a year that was previously given to private shareholders, with the 1st services being brought in as soon as May 2025.

The Government will deliver change that can be felt, driving growth across the country by ensuring passengers can use the railways to get to work, School, appointments and see friends and family with ease.