WITH regard to the article highlighting the felling of trees on the Wilpshire railway cutting (LET, December 19). I would like to point out some time ago similar acts of destruction were carried out at Pleasington and Hoghton Bank on the Preston line and at Turton on the Manchester line.

It seems to be a Network Rail phobia to prevent leaves on the line.

I have seen it on the Settle-Carlisle line and it is a countrywide policy.

However, as someone pointed out to me, there were no trees on cuttings or embankments when the railways were built, so we are now seeing them, as it were, in almost their original state.

I am sure I read somewhere there are no lineside trees on French railways.

G WHEATMAN (Mr), Whalley New Road, Blackburn.