Network Rail plans to invest nearly £3 billion over the next five years to safeguard the railway from climate change and extreme weather. This investment is part of its £45.4 billion five-year plan aimed at addressing issues like hotter summers and increased winter flooding affecting the rail network.
The £2.8 billion allocated will focus on enhancing resilience by maintaining and upgrading drains, cuttings, and embankments to handle flooding and landslips better. Network Rail will also establish a “weather academy” to train key staff in meteorology, helping them make informed decisions based on weather forecasts.
Recent extreme weather, including over 14 named storms in the past year, has caused significant disruptions, such as delays and cancellations over Christmas.
Major investment to upgrade drainage and infrastructure against extreme weather impacts.In response, Network Rail will rebuild or construct over 600,000 meters of drains and hire more than 400 additional drainage engineers. Additionally, repair work will target over 20,000 cuttings and embankments, with more than 300 miles being reinforced.
This new investment represents a significant increase from the £1 billion initially planned for climate change-related work during the previous five-year period. The total funding for the upcoming control period 7 is £45 billion, reflecting a £3 billion increase from the last period, although inflation-adjusted figures show a real-term reduction to £42.8 billion.
Network Rail’s chief executive, Andrew Haines, acknowledged that while it is impossible to completely weatherproof the railway, improved preparedness and mitigation efforts are crucial for maintaining safety and service.
The funding will also support £19.3 billion in asset replacements, £12.6 billion in maintenance, £5.3 billion in support functions, and £1.8 billion in a risk fund for unforeseen events.
About 70% of Network Rail’s funding comes from taxpayers, with additional contributions from rail operators and property income. The majority of its income, nearly £30 billion, will come from UK and Scottish government grants, with further revenue from track access charges and commercial activities.