Roads and railways will become better-suited to wildlife and withstanding climate change under a project by Natural England and partners.

The areas of vegetation growing alongside the transport network, known as “green corridors”, are to be enhanced as part of a £3 million pilot project drawing together Natural England, the Highways Agency, Network Rail and Nature Improvement Area (NIA) partnerships. It will ensure that these green corridors can accommodate more wildlife – especially pollinators – and enable greater movement between sites.

For the first time, this type of conservation work will not only focus on improving conditions for plants, animals and insects, it will also benefit transport users and the wider public by making infrastructure more resilient to the growing impacts of climate change, such as increased flooding and winter storms. In addition, it will help to tackle the perennial problem of “leaves on the line” and, in the right areas, open up views for rail passengers and motorists.

The pilot is a product of the government’s Natural Environment White Paper in 2011 which pledged to bring together transport and conservation partners in the “creation of coherent and resilient ecological networks”.

The aims of the pilot are:.

To establish species-rich grass verges and selective coppicing to promote the growth of plant and pollinator species such as bees, supporting the government’s National Pollinator Strategy (this could also reduce hazards associated with tree and leaf fall).

To create a greater variety of habitats on transport’s soft estate to encourage more wildlife to live in and travel along the corridors.

To tailor the design of roadside habitats to reduce the risk of accidents caused by wildlife emerging unseen directly onto the carriageway.

To create wetland swales and ponds on land in or near the soft estate which can store carbon dioxide emissions, provide wildlife habitat and improve the quality and drainage of water, reducing the likelihood of flooding on the transport network.

The Environment Secretary, Elizabeth Truss, said: "These verges provide really important habitats for our precious wildlife, with benefits for people, businesses, and the wider environment.

"This project will make these areas better than ever, helping our vital pollinators by providing a home and food for them to thrive, as well as improving the weather resilience of our transport infrastructure which will boost our economy."

Natural England’s Chairman, Andrew Sells, said: "Our transport infrastructure is already home to some of the country’s best-loved wildlife. But this strategy shows how it could become even better integrated and provide even more benefits to our wildlife, transport users and people who rely on these important corridors.

"I hope this pilot project will point the way to a greener, more resilient transport network that connects not just people but the whole spectrum of England’s wildlife."