More focus on data and a coherent strategy will aid rail’s climate change adaptation

Featured story18 June 2021

Step changes in rail’s approach to both data and strategy are needed to adapt for climate change so that rail can become safer and more sustainable - so says rail industry body RSSB.

It follows an alarming report, Adaptation Committee’s Independent Assessment of UK Climate Risk, published by the independent Climate Change Committee.

A key finding is that the gap between the level of risk we face and our readiness to adapt has got bigger, which resonates with the latest thinking at RSSB.

Challenges include increasing economic and environmental pressure, with strains on energy supplies, homes, infrastructure and the natural environment

For rail, more frequent, extreme weather events will be a challenge for asset management. The technical report refers to the impact of heavy rainfall on earthworks which caused the derailment at Carmont in August 2020. The accident killed three and injured six people, as well as causing catastrophic damage.

RSSB is looking to analyse more data to generate novel safety insights which support industry decision making. The team have already successfully worked on key topics like staff assaults at stations during the pandemic, signals passed at danger (SPADs), trackworker safety and Covid transmission. In addition, the team is working with Network Rail to look at infrastructure asset risk, including the impact of extreme weather on earthworks and operational decisions.

Good progress is also underway in developing a fresh Sustainable Rail Blueprint, to meet passenger, community and government expectations, and ensure rail is acting to reduce climate change and ready to adapt to impacts. The strategy will be a big contribution to rail’s Whole Industry Strategic Plan for Britain’s railways beyond 2022, currently under development with Network Rail.

Speaking about the Climate Change Committee’s report, RSSB’s Director of Sustainable Development, George Davies said:

“This is a wake-up call for the UK as a whole, but for rail there are specific challenges where we need a more proactive agenda. Rail leaders and policy makers I talk to are ready to commit to a new coherent and industry-wide strategy which puts rail at the heart of a sustainable transport system. Our data experts are already working to generate novel insights to support asset resilience and adaptation. These are big challenges and we all need to do more to ensure rail can weather the storm.”