Network Rail promising 'significant investment' into improving rail tracks near in Immingham
It's after there's been flooding issues there
Network Rail is to invest in track refurbishment and drainage work in light of flooding problems in Immingham and Goole.
The company that owns and manages Great Britain’s railway infrastructure has announced its next five year tranche of track maintenance investment. This adds up to £45bn in total, but includes £60m specifically for drainage works in Yorkshire and the North East.
Railway tracks at Immingham are vital for the freight train network, given the port links. In January, flooding affected track in the Immingham area.
Goole has also had its share of flooding issues in the recent past, too. The works here will tackle flooding problems in the town station’s subways. The drainage work across Yorkshire and the North East, a Network Rail region that does not include the East Coast Main Line, will take place up to March 2029.
To start with in Immingham, a detailed survey will be carried out, and a deep clean of the drainage system. The survey will work out what further actions may be needed. This work is expected to be done at points throughout the 2024-2029 period.
As well as lineside drainage works, the track will be fully repaired and refurbished. The scheme’s aim is to reduce the risk of flooding on the railway, making it more resilient and reliable for freight customers. A Network Rail document details that flooding affected freight performance in the Immingham area in 2019/20.
In Goole, the focus will include full renewal of the drainage system that serves Goole Station subways next to the Boothferry Road level crossing. Modern, accessible pumps and pipelines will be installed.
Network Rail’s chief executive, Andrew Haines, 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.”
Part of Network Rail’s investment includes £2.8bn in activities and technology to account for extreme weather and climate change. Hundreds of operational staff will attend a ‘weather academy’ run by the company. This will help make them ‘amateur meteorologists’, better able to interpret forecasts and make operation decisions, such as where to slow trains in stormy weather.