T643: Assessing the impact of climate change on transport infrastructure

Topic

Infrastructure

Description

The objective of this project was to work with Network Rail and the Environment Agency to predict the impact of climate change on the railway coastal and estuarine defence assets in the Dawlish area.

Abstract

The objective of this project was to work with Network Rail and the Environment Agency to investigate the impact of climate change on the railway coastal and estuarine defence assets in the Dawlish area. The sources of risk from climate change, as detailed in the Environment Agency's guidance document W5B-0279/TR, were used to assess the impact of climate change on these assets. Network Rail's records of recent disruption to train operations were used as a basis for prediction of future disruption. Situations in which lines were temporarily closed due to a breach in the sea defences were considered. The work established the impact of climate change on these coastal and estuarine assets and on the performance of trains (delays); it also identified the actions necessary for the future and assessed the likely investment requirements. The outputs from this research will now help in the identification of infrastructure assets vulnerable to extreme weather. It will also assist the development of effective engineering strategies to deal with the effects of climate change.