Roman coins among finds along East West Rail route

The trenches form an essential part of the environmental assessment work required to inform the Development Consent Order (DCO) process.

EWR Co says it plans to submit its DCO application in 2027 to secure permission for the railway.

The company will complete approximately 6,000 archaeological trial trenches over a period of around two years along the entire route.

Each trench is typically around 50m (164 ft) long, two metres (6.5 ft) wide and excavated to a depth of approximately half a metre (1.6 ft).

Before excavation begins, geophysical surveys are undertaken to identify areas of interest.

Archaeologists then excavate targeted sample sections, known as slots within the trenches, to better understand their age, condition and significance.

Jorn Pace, programme manager at EWR Co, said they “were working closely with landowners and local communities throughout the process to minimise disruption”.