Rail bosses have paid out nearly £4million to homeowners battling Japanese knotweed.
Network Rail, which owns and maintains the railways and adjoining land, has settled 170 compensation claims over blighted homes in the past five years.
The £3.7million bill covers investigation work, damages and legal costs. But it doesn’t include treating nearby properties for the weed, which works out at £18 to £30 per square metre – meaning the final bill could be even higher.
Japanese knotweed can spread and grow rapidly, blocking drains, cracking tarmac and damaging foundations.
Home-owners have faced bills of up to £20,000.
Figures obtained by Lib Dem peer Lord Greaves show 273 complaints have been made about the weed spreading from Network Rail in the past five years. But the number of complaints fell from 73 in 2015 to just 25 last year.
Lord Greaves said: “Network Rail are now taking this seriously and doing something about it.”
Network Rail said: “We know that Japanese knotweed can be a real concern for our neighbours.
"We will always take action to manage the plant whenever it is identified on our land and will look to work constructively with our neighbours to stop it.”
