Thousands of lizards delay controversial Stuttgart 21 rail project

Deutsche Bahn budgets a15m to relocate threatened sand and wall lizards as costs continue to grow in major station upgrade

A multibillion-euro railway development project in southern Germany, which has already been waylaid by spiralling costs and rows over environmental concerns and viability, is facing its latest challenge - two threatened species of lizard.

Thousands of sand and wall lizards have been found along the route of the project, known as Stuttgart 21. A major upgrade of Stuttgart's central station, it is part of 35 miles (56km) of new lines for the trans-European rail network.