A unique kind of guest has checked in at Lapworth railway station — the insect kind — with the opening of a new bug hotel, the first of its kind delivered through the new Wild Rails initiative.
Built on railway land next to Platform 2, the bug hotel is the result of a collaboration between Heart of England Community Rail Partnership (Heart CRP), Network Rail, Friends of Lapworth Station, E H Smith Builders Merchants, and Lapworth Primary School. The initiative aims to support biodiversity and environmental education along the Leamington Spa to Birmingham Moor Street line.
As part of the project, local schoolchildren learn about nature and biodiversity through curriculum-linked activities delivered in partnership with Warwickshire Wildlife Trust, before voting on installations at their local station. Lapworth’s students voted to provide luxury lodgings for their local insect population — and the result is now open for six-legged guests.
Sarah Davison, Heart CRP officer, said:
“It is wonderful to see how enthusiastic the students have been to contribute to a project in their local area. Having the opportunity to use Network Rail’s community land meant we could be much more ambitious with this biodiversity installation. I’m hoping the local bugs will approve of their new residence!”
Fraser Pithie, Communities Manager, Network Rail Central Route, added:
“We’re pleased to see this piece of railway land used for environmental education and local community benefit. The railway corridor is home to a wide range of species and we’re always keen to support initiatives that protect and celebrate that biodiversity.”
Lucy Pickard, Friends of Lapworth Station, said:
“We’re thrilled to be part of this project. Our team has put a lot of effort into preparing the site, and we hope it will inspire more community-led initiatives to bring nature into the station environment.”
Harry Burr, Stakeholder Executive and Community Rail Lead at Chiltern Railways, also praised the project:
“It’s fantastic to see the enthusiasm from students and volunteers. Projects like Wild Rails show how the railway can bring communities together, support environmental learning, and even inspire future careers in rail — especially as we celebrate the 200th anniversary of Britain’s railways in 2025.”
With this first “insect hotel” now open for business, plans are underway to expand the Wild Rails programme across other stations in the region — creating greener, more educational spaces along Britain’s railway.
To learn more about how Network Rail supports biodiversity, visit: networkrail.co.uk/sustainability/biodiversity-on-britains-railway
