RAILTRACK is spend-ing millions of pounds securing and protecting embankments along a three mile length of railway line bordering the River Severn.
But it will not be welcome news for people living in the hamlets of Gatcombe, Etloe and Purton because the huge project, which has already been going on for a year, is due to carry on for another THREE.
A resident told the Review: "It has been a nightmare. The tree felling and clearance work has been going on every day and a massive amount of heavy equipment has been brought down here.
"The lanes are not designed for this sort of traffic and there has been a lot of damage. They have cut down thousands of mature trees and the cost to wildlife must be huge."
Apologising for the problems created to residents, a Railtrack spokes-man said the work was regarded as essential and had been identified after a land slip.
There had been consultation with English Nature who agreed to the work being carried out. They believe that on completion wildlife will return to the embankments as before, she said.
The project was taking place over four years and was split into three phases.
The first involved removing all the vegetation along three miles of embankment; the second was rock netting and drainage work and the third was to re-vegetate the cleared areas.
To date the work had cost £1 million.
"We are now into the second year of a three year project. It is unfortunate that there has been some inconvenience and we apologise for that," said the spokesman.