UK: Network Rail has published its third Adaption Report, outlining the risks which climate change poses to the rail network and measures required to improve resilience.
The report sets out the progress made on climate change and resilience since 2016, identifies further actions which are needed, and provides an assessment of risks.
It brings together work being carried out across Network Rail, including the Weather Task Force responsible for delivery of the recommendations from the independent reports which followed the derailment at Carmont near Stonehaven in August 2020.
The report says NR now has a good understanding of the risks to the network from the climate change; has made good progress in embedding these risks into its organisation at a strategic and management level; has implemented a range of adaptation measures in the most vulnerable areas; and still has work to do to minimise the impacts of climate change by 2050.
‘Climate change is having an undeniable impact on our infrastructure and the effects are forecast to be greater still in the coming years’, said CEO Andrew Haines on January 28. ‘More infrastructure failures would mean delays for passengers and our freight partners who move thousands of tonnes of goods across the country by rail.
‘While there is no silver bullet to making our railway more resilient to the effect of climate change, the action plan outlined in this report demonstrates the progress we are committed to making’, he added.
