Question about ownership of anti-bird netting under Railway bridge

phoosco · 29 May 2026

Hello everyone,

Hope you're all doing well.

There's a bit of a situation going down under one of the bridges in Edinburgh's New Town (New Street Underline Bridge (ID 001/001A)). Pigeons are finding a way through where the different panels of the netting intersect and getting stuck inside unable to find their way back out. This has led to them dying in the past (the carcasses left there for months before being cleared), and there is now one that's been stuck for two days that I also believe to be a juvenile.

The pickle is this: contacting the railway network has only got me as far as being told that it's the council's responsibility to maintain the netting. Someone on Reddit fairly pointed out that it is a bit of a weird thing for the railway to own the bridge and not the netting and so I was redirected to this site.

Does anyone have any more knowledge re that bridge?

Thanks in advance,
Mike

RailUK Forums

edwin_m · 29 May 2026

I don't think it's unreasonable for the council to have attached the netting (with Network Rail's permission) and be responsible for it. There are all sorts of weird and wonderful asset ownerships where different responsibilities intersect. Have you asked the council?

phoosco · 29 May 2026

I have, but will have to wait for their response. I am pretty sure that when I last tried last year, they bounced me off back to the railway network.

thejuggler · 29 May 2026

I wouldn"t try and sort it and be chased around. Contact the Scottish RSPCA and report it to them. They should visit and contact the responsible organisation.

phoosco · 29 May 2026

What do you mean with "chased around"?
I will get in touch with SSPCA too but I was told to contact the aforementioned two last time this happened. It seems to me a never ending cycle

Acathater · 29 May 2026

have you tried asking the RSPCA (or is it the SSPCA?) they may be able to kick someone

==edit==
you beat me to it

Mattplans · 29 May 2026

I've seen a lot of angry tweets directed to Network Rail and some TOCs about this matter (netting in general - not this specific occurrence) recently. Unfortunately I doubt there is the political will for it to be taken seriously.

phoosco said:
What do you mean with "chased around"?

One body will tell you it's not their responsibility, it's the TOC's. TOC will tell you it's Network Rail. NR will tell you it's the council.

Acathater · 29 May 2026

Mattplans said:
I've seen a lot of angry tweets directed to Network Rail and some TOCs about this matter (netting in general - not this specific occurrence) recently. Unfortunately I doubt there is the political will for it to be taken seriously.

One body will tell you it's not their responsibility, it's the TOC's. TOC will tell you it's Network Rail. NR will tell you it's the council.

Needs the SSPCA to bring a prosecution
Pigeons may be vermin, but they can't be treated inhumanely

RiverDon · 29 May 2026

Acathater said:
Needs the SSPCA to bring a prosecution
Pigeons may be vermin, but they can't be treated inhumanely

The SSPCA can't prosecute anything. The rules for private prosecutions in Scots Law are very different from England & Wales.

AlterEgo · 29 May 2026

RiverDon said:
The SSPCA can't prosecute anything. The rules for private prosecutions in Scots Law are very different from England & Wales.

The RSPCA also no longer bring prosecutions after they were found to be rather evil about it, which may ring some bells here.

The exile · 29 May 2026

edwin_m said:
I don't think it's unreasonable for the council to have attached the netting (with Network Rail's permission) and be responsible for it. There are all sorts of weird and wonderful asset ownerships where different responsibilities intersect. Have you asked the council?

After all, what it’s protecting are people on (the council’s) highway, both from direct hits and from slipping. This latter one in particular may explain why the council are involved (if they are).

edwin_m · 29 May 2026

The exile said:
After all, what it’s protecting are people on (the council’s) highway, both from direct hits and from slipping. This latter one in particular may explain why the council are involved (if they are).

The council would probably also have some responsibility for addressing the health hazard of rotting bird carcasses.

njamescouk · 5 Jun 2026

This from 2001 made it the railway's problem. English law from a while ago though.

RAILTRACK LOSING TO COUNCIL OVER PIGEON MESS IS LANDMARK FOR LAND-OWNERS

An appeal court ruling could cost land-owners throughout the country millions of pounds. It could render them liable for the activities of wildlife on

www.lgcplus.com

An appeal court ruling could cost land-owners throughout the country millions of pounds. It could render them liable for the activities of wildlife on their property.
And as far as Railtrack alone, which was at the centre of today’s case is concerned, it is estimated that yesterday’s landmark decision, backing a high court decision last year that Railtrack was responsible for clearing up the mess made by pigeons roosting under a railway bridge in London, could land it with a nationwide clean-up bill running to millions of pounds. Hundreds of bridges across the country are plagued with the same problem.
The court today upheld a claim by the Wandsworth LBC which was seeking damages and injunctions from Railtrack plc in respect of the mess caused by pigeons roosting under a railway bridge over Balham High Road.

minimann · 5 Jun 2026

I've had to deal with this in the past where it was a shared local/NR matter and it was really challenging even when working for a partner organisation. I would recommend going through your elected representatives or media as the easiest route as there are dedicated pathways within NR etc for resolving such matters, it's far more difficult as a member of the public.

The exile · 6 Jun 2026

njamescouk said:
This from 2001 made it the railway's problem. English law from a while ago though.

RAILTRACK LOSING TO COUNCIL OVER PIGEON MESS IS LANDMARK FOR LAND-OWNERS

An appeal court ruling could cost land-owners throughout the country millions of pounds. It could render them liable for the activities of wildlife on

www.lgcplus.com

That surely made it the railway’s problem south of the border, though. OK, it’s likely that a Scots ruling would go the same way (unless there is specific legislation to the contrary), but technically not a given.

ajwffc · 7 Jun 2026

According to this reply on Twitter/X it's the council

https://x.com/i/status/2061408011000668665

ikari2006 · 8 Jun 2026

When rail bridge inspections are carried out, the netting is normally removed and reattached by the Network Rail Minor Works contractor regardless of who owns the bridge; the main reason seems to be liability. In terms of birds finding a way through and rotting carcasses, this is fairly common as netting of often poorly maintained. Bit surprised if you've reported it as a safety/animal welfare issue to either Network Rail or the Council that they've not send someone out to put right; if you really want to escalate a response get your local MP to ask.

Question about ownership of anti-bird netting under Railway bridge

phoosco

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edwin_m

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phoosco

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thejuggler

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phoosco

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Acathater

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Mattplans

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Acathater

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RiverDon

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AlterEgo

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The exile

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edwin_m

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njamescouk

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RAILTRACK LOSING TO COUNCIL OVER PIGEON MESS IS LANDMARK FOR LAND-OWNERS

minimann

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The exile

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RAILTRACK LOSING TO COUNCIL OVER PIGEON MESS IS LANDMARK FOR LAND-OWNERS

ajwffc

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