When problematic areas on a rail network have been identified, a campaign plan can be developed to effectively target those locations.

First and foremost, soil based herbicides can be used to their maximum effect. Soil, or residual herbicides as they are commonly known, works by penetrating the ground and creating a herbicide barrier which kills weeds as they grow through the soil. Whilst very effective, these products can be costly and harmful to the surrounding environment so their usage is limited wherever possible.

Through the utilisation of weed maps, residual chemicals are only applied to areas of the track where weeds were present in the previous application. This, coupled with an automatic treatment of the weeds that have germinated using a contact herbicide, means that chemicals are targeted and used to maximum effect - all this is done automatically.

Knowing rail network infestation trends permits the customisation of treatments so that they are sustainable year on year. If an area is dirty and regularly causes potential safety hazards, that area can be targeted specifically for a continued treatment. Using such methods has seen reductions in herbicide usage of over 50%.

The Thematic Strategy on the sustainable use of pesticides was adopted in 2006 by the European Commission, together with a proposal for a Framework Directive on the sustainable use of pesticides. It aims to fill the current legislative gap regarding the use-phase of pesticides at EU level through setting minimum rules for the use of pesticides in the Community, so as to reduce risks to human health and the environment from the use of pesticides.

The implications brought about by this directive are far reaching, which is why it was one of the central points considered in the design of the Weedfree On Track spray train. Whereas conventional, archaic spraying methods are generally limited in scope, the Weedfree On Track spray train is fully bespoke and can easily be adapted to meet the demands of an ever-changing climate.

Through the utilisation of weed mapping, the Weedfree On Track spray train directly meets all the criteria laid out in the strategy on the sustainable use of pesticides and ensures that the environmental impact created by the train is kept to a minimum at all times.

If you would like to read more on the Thematic Strategy on the sustainable use of pesticides, please visit this link on www.pesticides.gov.uk