Network Rail doubles spending on adaptation to climate risks

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The owner of Britain’s rail network plans to double spending on adaptation to climate risks between 2024 and 2029, but has admitted that vital infrastructure will deteriorate over the period.

Network Rail on Friday released its Strategic business plan for England and Wales. The project is a key part of the state company’s budgeting process and covers a five-year “control period” starting next April.

The effects of recent extreme weather events on track and other equipment have highlighted the need for UK railways to invest further to mitigate the effects of climate change.

Network Rail announced its plan after the government committed £44.1bn for the 2024-29 period, known as CP7, of the business plan. The firm establishes separate budgets for its work in Scotland, where transport policy is a devolved matter.

The figure is 8.1% higher than that committed for the current five-year period – £40.8bn – but represents less than inflation.

The company said it would spend £1bn on “weather resilience” measures, such as improving drainage and shoring up embankments as levees. The investment is double the £500m expected to be spent on weather resilience over the five years ending March 2024.

The railway suffered worsening floods in recent years, storms have become more intense, while many embankments have become less stable due to long periods of drought such as last summer.

The Office of Rail and Road, the industry regulator, warned earlier this week that the company was already behind schedule with inspections of key assets, such as bridges, and that reliability and safety of infrastructure could be affected.

The company will spend a further £600m to reduce its impact on the environment, by reducing carbon emissions, improving biodiversity around railway lines and other initiatives.

However, Network Rail warned that constraints on its spending meant the condition of the system would deteriorate over the next five years.

“We expect a decrease in asset reliability. . . given how we had to prioritize and allocate available funding to achieve our goals,” the business plan states.

Network Rail said it was being forced to prioritize spending on the areas most critical to safety, such as signalling, and areas where investment would yield the greatest economic and social benefits. This meant that investment in some areas, such as the replacement of worn tracks, would have to be reduced.

Meanwhile, delays in plotting renovations are likely to mean the imposition of emergency measures such as speed limits. “The indication is that the average age of assets will increase and . . . have little impact on train performance,” the company said.

The company was looking to minimize the effect of spoilage on passengers and freight customers, he added. He expected a reduction in delays due to train breakdowns and problems caused by other parties, which would compensate for delays caused by infrastructure failures.

Network Rail chief executive Andrew Haines said the plan was “ambitious” and “passenger and customer focused”. He added that it reflected “the current complexities and challenges facing the industry.”

“No doubt there will be hurdles ahead and I look forward to working collaboratively with the industry to deliver this plan, reshape the industry and build a railroad fit for the future,” he said.