Trans-Pennine Route Upgrade
Client: TRU Alliance - Location: West Yorkshire
Services Used
Species Found
Badger
Bats
Trans-Pennine Route Upgrade
The Trans-Pennine Route Upgrade (TRU) is a major, multi-year rail enhancement programme aimed at improving capacity, performance and reliability across the Trans-Pennine rail corridor. One of the largest and most complex infrastructure projects currently being delivered in the UK, the scheme involves extensive track, signalling, electrification and civil engineering works across a wide geographical area, with significant environmental and ecological considerations throughout.
Our Role on the TRU Programme
Whitcher Wildlife Ltd has been providing ecological support to the TRU programme since its inception and began working closely with alliance partners BAM and Amey in early 2025. Our work focuses on sections W3 and W4 in West Yorkshire, where we provide a comprehensive package of ecological services. A large number of our ecologists are inducted onto the TRU project and hold OLEC1 certification, enabling us to support delivery through Preliminary Ecological Appraisals (PEAs), bat surveys, badger surveys and mitigation, Ecological Clerk of Works (ECoW) support and ongoing ecological advice. This integrated approach allows us to provide responsive, consistent ecological input across a fast-moving and technically demanding infrastructure programme.