Network Rail sets out £45 billion improvement plan

Network Rail has announced the start of a £45.4 billion five-year rail improvement plan, aimed at improving reliability of the network and ensuring resilience against climate change and more frequent extreme weather.

Through to 2029, Network Rail has committed to investing around £2.8 billion in enabling the railways better cope with extreme weather and climate change. Work proposed includes building, rebuilding, redesigning and increased maintenance of over 600 km of drains to allow them to cope with heavier rainfall and reduce flooding, as well as the recruitment of almost 400 additional drainage engineers. Over 300 miles of cuttings and embankments will also be strengthened, with planned maintenance along a further 900 miles of track; significantly more ‘smart’ movement sensors will also be installed to provide early warning for engineers where there is risk of a landslips.

Andrew Haines, chief executive of Network Rail, said:

“Delivering a better railway for passengers and freight users is at the heart of our new five-year investment plan. Tackling climate change, safely improving train performance, adapting and responding to changing commuter habits whilst managing an ageing infrastructure requires the whole industry to rally for the benefits of all rail users.

“Whilst there are challenges and opportunities ahead, our mission is constant – we’re here to connect people and goods with where they need to be. The railway is part of the fabric of our everyday lives and has been for generations. It provides essential services to society, underpinning economic growth and our plans will support that over the next five years – a period that will mark the railway’s bi-centenary.”

Rail Minister Huw Merriman said:

“Our railways are at the heart of many people’s daily lives and getting us to where we need to be, whether that’s to family and friends, work, education or holiday destinations.

“That’s why the network must be fit for the future, with the resilience to handle extreme weather while offering the reliability and level of service our passengers deserve. I am confident the plan set out by Network Rail today will help keep our railways on track for the coming years.”

As well as targeting climate resilience, improving the broader day-to-day performance of the railway for passengers and freight users is a critical area for focus and investment. Andrew Haines added:

“Train performance has been suffering and the industry must come together and make this, and tackling climate change, our main focus.

“Our role is to deliver a safe railway that people can rely on, whatever the weather, with trains that turn up and arrive at their destination on time, and where passengers have confidence they are in safe hands. This is what we must deliver daily and what we should, and will, be held to account for.”

Focus on improving train performance will include over 5,000 km of track being targeted for replacement or heavy maintenance as well as over 3,000 sets of points and investment in new signalling. Improvements to timetables to remove bottlenecks, conflicts and unrealistic timings at and between stations will also be explored.