Network Rail has issued urgent calls to protect a vital railway link in Yorkshire from the threat of crumbling cliffs, as the UK's rail network faces increasing challenges from climate change. The line, which runs along the coast, is at risk from landslides and erosion exacerbated by extreme weather events.
Engineers are monitoring the site closely, with sensors and regular inspections to detect any movement. A 20mph speed limit has been imposed on a section of the line to ensure safety, as the ground beneath the tracks shifts. Network Rail has allocated £2.8bn over the next five years to bolster tracks against the changing climate, but warns that not all routes can be saved.
Recorded landslips on British railways have nearly doubled in frequency, from 475 to 848 in the five years either side of 2019. The situation at the Warren in Kent, another active landslide site, highlights the scale of the problem. There, a fault line has opened up significantly, and trains must crawl at low speeds to avoid derailment.
Network Rail chief executive Andrew Haines said: "We cannot infrastructure-build our way out of climate change. The price tag is too expensive and it's too disruptive." He added that the railway is "living climate change" now, not just planning for the future.
The company is investing in better drainage and training staff in a "weather academy" to improve decision-making. However, Haines warned that the scale of investment needed may not be achievable in a single generation.
