Campaigners have raised alarm after nesting holes used by swifts in a Derbyshire railway viaduct were blocked during a £7.5m refurbishment, warning that birds returning to Britain to breed could be left unable to reach their ancestral sites.
The concern centres on the twin viaducts at Chapel Milton, on the edge of the Peak District, where nature lovers say at least nine swift nesting sites are present. According to campaigners, Network Rail was asked to unblock three holes that were among those nesting places, but the sites were sealed as part of the works.
Swifts are among the birds that travel back to Britain each spring to nest. The blocked openings have prompted anger from wildlife campaigners, who say the refurbishment has put these birds at risk at a crucial time in their breeding cycle.
The issue has also highlighted the wider tension that can arise when essential rail maintenance intersects with the protection of wildlife habitats. For campaigners, the concern is not only that the birds may be prevented from using known nesting holes, but that returning swifts could die trying to access spaces that have now been sealed up.
The viaducts at Chapel Milton have long been associated with swift nesting, making the blocked holes particularly contentious. Those opposing the decision say the sites were established nesting places, and that the closure of the openings removes access to locations the birds have relied on for years.
The refurbishment work, which carried a price tag of £7.5m, has therefore drawn criticism from nature lovers who argue that opportunities to protect the nesting sites were missed. Their appeal to Network Rail focused on reopening the three holes, but the sites remain blocked, according to the campaigners.
The dispute adds to growing concern about how infrastructure projects are carried out where protected or vulnerable species are involved. In this case, campaigners say the blocked nesting holes may have serious consequences for swifts arriving back in Derbyshire after migration.
For now, the argument remains focused on the sealed openings in the viaduct and whether they should be restored for the birds that have used them for generations. Campaigners say the holes should have been left open, given their importance to nesting swifts returning each year.
