Works are under way to clear scrub and thousands of trees on the A338 verges to make way for the roadworks in summer/autumn 2010. The tree clearance is essential prior to the roadworks and the topographic survey. The clearance has to take place over the winter to avoid bird-nesting season which begins in March. The road works will rebuild 10.5km of road and 21km of drainage ditches along the verges.

After the trees have been felled, reptile-exclusion fencing will be installed along 7km of verge where there is reptile-rich neighbouring heathland. Then from March to June 2010, reptiles will be removed from the verges by CGO Ecology Ltd. Most will be transferred to adjacent land, but some will be moved to special 'receptor' sites elsewhere. Installation of the reptile fencing and the reptile capture itself should not involve any lane closures or traffic disruption; just cones on the verges.