Northern has turned the heat up in a new effort to force pigeons to take flight from stations across its network.

Stations at Driffield in East Yorkshire and Morpeth in Northumberland have suffered particularly and have become problematic ‘poo hotspots’. As a result, a special trial has been instigated at both locations.  It will remain in place until the end of November and, if it proves successful, will be rolled out across the entire network.

The train operator, the second largest in the UK, provides 2,500 services a day to more than 500 stations across the North of England, has initiated a number of special measures to scare the bird away.  These include broadcasting noises which resemble predatory hawks as well as positioning plastic owls around some stations to scare pigeons away.  They are also using a special gel on ledges and roof trusses to trick pigeons into thinking they are they are too hot to land on.  The special ‘fire’ gel appears to pigeon as ultraviolet light and is therefore unsuitable to be used as a perch.

Hawk sounds will echo around Driffield station ever 30 minutes between 10.00 and 16.00 daily. This device has already been used in private residences and has proved effective.  The ‘fire’ Gell will also be used at the Yorkshire location.

Plastic owls will be placed on the station roof at Morpeth, another station plagued by pigeons.

Kerry Peters, regional director at Northern, said: “We want to make sure our stations are a ‘no-go’ area for pigeons and make them fly the coop in a way that is humane and harmless.

“We clean all our station regularly and we take the impact the mess has on our communities and the environment very seriously.