Weather resilience, climate change & lineside trees on the railway

Рет қаралды 1,896

Күн бұрын

How does Network Rail manage flood risk?
How are trees on the railway managed?
What rules are there to protect habitats adjacent to the railway?
Richard Bowker visits Network Rail's Wales and Western region to spend the day with Route Director Nick Millington MBE.
It's a fascinating day of learning about the challenges of weather resilience on Britain's railways, the devastating effects of climate change, the complexities of managing trees and vegetation on the lineside... and surprisingly, about dormice.
This is the first in a new series of videos from Green Signals where we seek to share knowledge and expertise from around the railway and, hopefully, to explain some of the things that many people don't know that much about!
In this video:
00:00 Intro
00:36 Chipping Sodbury on the Great Western Main Line with Julie Gregory (Senior Programme Manager, Climate Change Task Force)
04:30 Severn Tunnel Junction to look at recent vegetation control work
11:50 A surprise visit from the New Measurement Train (NMT)
13:14 The consequences of 'red tape' that prevents vegetation clearance on the railway
20:21 If Nick could fix two or three big issues to transform the railway, what would they be?
24:22 Reflections
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Пікірлер: 43

@GreenSignals 5 ай бұрын

If you enjoy this episode, please click the like button 👍 It makes a massive difference to us and helps us to keep bringing you more episodes. Thank you!

@julianhweatherall2253 20 күн бұрын

Very eloquent my old boss Nick Millington

@GreenSignals 20 күн бұрын

He most certainly is!

@TheDaf95xf 5 ай бұрын

Fantastic and very informative Richard 👍🏻

@GreenSignals 5 ай бұрын

Thanks! Really appreciate the feedback.

@gordondudman240 5 ай бұрын

Thanks again for a superb report. The bit I liked the best was the final ‘in car’ assessment of what the day had revealed. The enormous extra cost when those that grant (or not) a licence without any regard to the rail industry’s costs. Like you I cannot see any reason why NR shouldn’t be able to self- certify.

@GreenSignals 5 ай бұрын

Thanks Gordon. That's kind of you to say. I did enjoy doing it and plenty more are planned.

@S2RUF 5 ай бұрын

Great video. The last clip at the foot crossing with a TSR reminds me a bit of Crowle in Lincolnshire, there has been a 20mph TSR on the Down Line (towards Doncaster) through the station for the 10 years I’ve been driving (unsure how long before that). It’s on due to sighting restrictions for passengers crossing to the Down Platform, whilst there is a whistle board for approaching trains to alert people, the risk is that a train stopped in the Up Platform will block people seeing the approaching train as they cross behind the train to the other platform. The only real solution is to provide a footbridge, but given it’s relatively low passenger numbers, and also a canal directly behind the platform, I think we are a long way off a solution to remove the TSR. Incidentally it’s also recently been modified to a TSR (A) like in your video, so trains can now accelerate once they have reached the board, rather than dragging the whole train over it as we used to, obviously slowing things down more given the length of some of the freight trains passing over it.

@GreenSignals 5 ай бұрын

You are spot on about that TSR (A). I should have pointed that out to the viewers. It doesn't fix the problem completely of course but it helps and we saw it in action when that unit went past. Many thanks! Richard

@Chris-Hay-on-Wye 5 ай бұрын

Fascinating, there is so much more involved in operating and maintaining the railway, which much of the general/travelling public will not be aware of.

@GreenSignals 5 ай бұрын

Totally agree! It's way more complex than people realise.

@Fougasse67 5 ай бұрын

Great video Richard. love trees and am a confirmed environmentalist but as a railway man, formerly an overhead lineman and now Aerial Survey Specialist, there are far too many of them lineside! Network Rail needs to be empowered to control lineside vegetation effectively to help deliver a safer, more dependable railway. You didn’t even touch on the issue of trees on third party land which is another great concern and comes with its own set of difficulties.

@GreenSignals 5 ай бұрын

You've given me an idea for another video. Cheers! And glad you enjoyed this one. Thanks for the comments. R

@ricktownend9144 5 ай бұрын

Many thanks - yes, I really did enjoy watching that! More importantly, I really hope that some of the people who could make a difference also watched it, and maybe will get out and see for themselves how the changes that you and Nick suggest could be put into action. More like this, please - nitty-gritty nuts-and-bolts detail of how the railway works is fascinating, and - as you say - the people are wonderful!

@GreenSignals 5 ай бұрын

The people are indeed wonderful and if videos like these can start or even just contribute to a debate that moves us forward, that's great. Richard

@Richardhill1978 5 ай бұрын

What a belting mini podcast loved it Thanks for highlighting the issues of more actors than a remake of Gandhi or the battle of waterloo

@GreenSignals 5 ай бұрын

Ah, that's what we like to hear - a belting mini podcast. Thanks - plenty more coming in the future!

@simonpilk 5 ай бұрын

Having met Nick for the first time last year I found him pretty straight and honest talking and almost inspirational in the way he looks at things and hopefully NR Wales and Borders can hang on to him for a few years yet while improvements are made! I find it astounding and educational that NR have to be granted a license to work on their own land! Far more to things than just chopping a tree down and the cost I found amazing. Again a great little podcast that does make you think and this ‘old dog’ has certainly learned a new trick or two! Every day is a school day!

@GreenSignals 5 ай бұрын

I totally agree. Every day is indeed a school day and this old dog is also learning a few new tricks as well! Cheers.

@briannewton9283 5 ай бұрын

Absolutely loving this, really well done Richard and the team! It just goes to show how much more is entailed in running the railway than meets the eye - and also the hoops that have to be jumped through in order get jobs such as vegetation control done!

@GreenSignals 5 ай бұрын

Thanks Brian. Really appreciate the positive feedback and kind words! Richard

@robbayliss3937 28 күн бұрын

Great video . Now when I am sitting on a train grumbling that I can't see the view anymore because of the trees at least I'll appreciate some of the reason behind it. I would like to know if heritage railways are in a similar position with regard to applying for licenses to carry out tree felling or is it just Railtrack that is lumbered with that additional burden. Keep these videos coming please.

@GreenSignals 26 күн бұрын

Thanks Rob. I think regulations on vegetation control apply to anyone, anywhere.

@michaelwilliams3232 3 ай бұрын

If there were no dormice present I don't think a licence is necessary, certainly not for lineside trees. Network Rail has a statutory duty to maintain a safe railway corridor and is able to manage its land like any other land owner, this being effectively Crown land. Secondly, who is issuing these licences? The Environment Agency? I agree that this should be an internal function or at least a permanent interface with the EA for each sensitive project, with agreement for planning timelines, involving long term possession planners.

@allanmorton6022 5 ай бұрын

Great visit by Richard. The hoops and delays in starting work on the lineside seem too much and slow thus causing increased cost to the railway. For a risk reduction exercise it does seem too much. The danger to trains and travellers is too much so streamlining of processes is badly needed. Great video as always. One tip would be to keep the captions on the screen longer as they were quite wordy.

@GreenSignals 5 ай бұрын

Thanks Allan. And appreciate the feedback re the captions. Will either leave them up longer or try and make them less wordy in future! Richard

@richardbarrow3109 5 ай бұрын

Having been a signal engineer with responsibilities for signal sighting inspections, I understand that there are many dimensions to the management of lineside vegetation, not just leaves on the line. However, I am also an environmentalist and recognise that railways and highways can provide an important resource for nature if managed well. What I find a little annoying is the fragmented way in which government policy encourages companies and industry sectors to manage ‘green’ issues. Whilst it is right for rail to manage its environmental impact by following guidance provided by RSSB, rail itself is already green when compared with other modes of transport. The focus on environmental improvement should be wider than rail, to encourage modal shift, perhaps by charging a carbon levy on polluters.

@GreenSignals 5 ай бұрын

Thanks Richard. Appreciate your comments which echo the sentiments of many.

@katelowes4231 5 ай бұрын

Insightful, captivating and real. A huge value proposition step up for Green Signals. Well done. Loving this. Thank you.

@GreenSignals 5 ай бұрын

Gosh, that's so kind. Thanks! Glad you enjoyed it. We have loads more planned.

@simonaltham9054 5 ай бұрын

Great to be able to see behind the scenes at the bits that most just take for granted. More of these please.

@GreenSignals 5 ай бұрын

Consider it done Simon. Lots more planned. Out filiming next week in fact. Watch this space.....!

@staffordian 5 ай бұрын

A really insightful piece there Richard. With the best will in the world though, I think we must have our priorities wrong when red tape trumps safety, such as is happening with the foot crossing. A rational and balanced approach where the risks associated with trees falling on speeding trains and the risk of not seeing an approaching train can be balanced against potential environmental damage rather than the latter being the deciding factor seems reasonable. And the mind blowing fact that there are thirty thousand ash trees within the railway boundary is damning of past maintenance in my opinion. How many trees in total, I wonder? One is too many! Keep up the good work Richard (and Nigel!) Cheers, Rob

@GreenSignals 5 ай бұрын

I think I'm right in saying that the 30,000 may just be on Wales and Borders. But I'll double check. Cheers. Richard

@namt5150 5 ай бұрын

I'm overseas and have the impression that the British do things very properly, but it looks like the licensing process is overkill! It makes me wonder what is slowing the licensing authorities down and what can be removed/simplified to speed things up. This is an eye-opener and I'm especially glad that you did the research beforehand. Thank you very much.

@phillcrossland6394 5 ай бұрын

Great video however it shows again the amount of bulls**t surrounds everything we do or try to do in this once great nation, i fear that when door mice are seen as a greater priority than the foot crossing public the train driver and track workers safety then we have totally lost the plot. god help us please to restore some level of sanity

@GreenSignals 5 ай бұрын

Thanks. What we hope is that it can help start a debate. Appreciate your comments.

@GreenJimll 5 ай бұрын

As a community rail volunteer I'd offered to clear vegetation from access paths behind my station but was told that Network Rail had to do it, despite being further away from the running lines than the platforms and flower beds I can work on. This video explains part of why that might be the case.

@GreenSignals 5 ай бұрын

That's possible, but I will mention it to Nick and see what he thinks the definitive reason might be.

@pauldarlington9157 5 ай бұрын

So what not put a MSL on the crossing? Presumably because they say there is grade separation planned.

@davidredgewell7415 3 ай бұрын

Bristol to Taunton route flood at Flax Bourton Network rail Western and Salisbury to Exeter route at crewrence on Network Rail wessex in South west England