More frequent flooding, extreme heat, high winds and landslips are creating new safety challenges for the UK rail freight sector, with operators being forced to rethink how they prepare for climate-related risks.

According to Network Rail, weather-related incidents now cause more than three million minutes of delays every year, costing the industry more than £120 million in compensation payments.

The types of weather causing disruption are also changing. Flooding, extreme heat and subsidence are now among the biggest causes of delays, replacing snow and ice as the more common risks seen in previous years.

Preparing for new risks

The changing climate is creating challenges not just for rail services, but for the people working across the sector.

Freight depots and maintenance sites can all be affected by extreme weather, from flooding and damaged tracks to increased risks from high winds and extreme temperatures.

To help operators prepare, the Freight Safe Programme has developed a new Climate Change Risk Assessment Model.

The model gives freight operators a more consistent way to identify and assess climate-related risks across their sites, helping them understand where action may be needed before problems occur.

Putting the model to the test

The model was trialled at DB Cargo UK's Crewe International Electric Maintenance Depot over a 12-month period.

The assessment identified several potential risks, including extreme heat affecting track infrastructure, high winds increasing the risk of tree fall, and heavy rainfall causing ballast washaway and track instability.

It also highlighted the potential for intense rainfall to flood inspection pits, creating a direct safety risk for maintenance workers.

Stacie Scullion, sustainability manager at DB Cargo UK, said the model allows operators to plan and address the impact of climate change on safety before issues arise.

A more proactive approach

As extreme weather becomes more frequent, climate risk is becoming an increasingly important part of workplace safety and operational planning.

For rail freight operators, understanding how their sites and infrastructure could be affected means they can take action before extreme weather turns into an incident.

The new risk assessment model is a sign that the sector is beginning to move away from reacting to individual events and towards planning for the risks that could become more common in the years ahead.

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