Mend the Gap is enhancing areas of the Goring Gap that have been negatively impacted by the electrification of the Great Western Railway.
The programme is run jointly by the Chilterns and North Wessex Downs National Landscapes, with involvement from the Railway Action Group (a group derived from the local community to protest the design of the gantries used in the electrification).
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About Mend the Gap
Our aim is to reduce and compensate for the visual harm done to the Chilterns and North Wessex Downs National Landscapes by the electrification of the Great Western main line.
Landscape Enhancements
Find out more about the types of projects and schemes that could be supported, including our small grant scheme (up to £15,000).
Mitigation
Tree planting and hedgerow restoration to help screen, mask, distract from and soften the impact of the steel gantries and other electrical equipment.
Latest Mitigation Planting Update
Project managed by Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group South East (FWAGSE).
- Over four Kilometres of hedge and over 600 trees planted to soften the impact of the railway gantries
- The planting is on target to reach about 70% of the proposed sites by March 2026.
Latest projects Update
Approximately 75% of the fund is committed or spent. We hope to have committed the majority of the £3million by December 2025.These cover the themes of Nature and Biodiversity, Knowledge, Access and Enjoyment, Landscape, Heritage, and Tourism.
- 30 complete projects,
- 31 in the delivery phase
- 12 in development
- over 120 projects in the ‘funnel’
Highlights include:
- 283.18 hectares of land being enhanced
- 103 landowners engaged.
- 898 people attending events.
- 362 people engaged in activities linked to health and wellbeing.
- 6000 children benefiting in their school grounds
- 171 partnerships from our projects
Hedge and Tree Planting contracts
Are you, or do you know, a contractor who would like to tender for our tree and hedge planting taking place this winter across the Chilterns?
To find out what is available please visit the Chilterns Jobs, Contracts and Tenders page.
Watch our video
Where does the programme operate?
The programme area covers the railway corridor along a 20km stretch of line between the outskirts of Reading and Didcot and 3km either side of the line.