T371: Implications of weather extremes and climate change on railway infrastructure

Topic

Infrastructure

Description

Climate change will increase the intensity and frequency of extreme weather events which can cause disruption to train operations and can also affect safety. This research investigated which areas the industry should concentrate their resources in preparing plans to adapt for and mitigate climate change effects.

Abstract

By its nature, railway infrastructure is exposed to the effects of weather. In general, railway infrastructure is robust and can withstand these effects. Extreme weather events, such as intense rainfall, high winds, sea storms and high temperatures, can however cause disruption to train operations and, in some particularly severe cases, can affect the safety of the railway. These extreme weather events are predicted to increase in intensity and frequency as a result of climate change. The Department for Transport has encouraged a collaborative approach to achieving better understanding of climate change effects by building on good practice elsewhere and to achieve efficiencies in the time inputs required by individual organisations. This project looked at the research already completed in this area and which areas required further work. It identified the options for quantification of climate change effects on railway infrastructure and proposed a project to consider the impact of climate change on the coastal defences at Dawlish in South West England. This was taken forward as T643 'Impact of climate change on coastal rail infrastructure'.