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The £1.6bn investment was announced as part of the rail owner and operator’s £44bn five-year plan, published on Friday (19 May).
The climate-focused measures for the railway in England and Wales include investment in a climate change adaptation strategy and operational weather expertise, as well as earthworks and drainage renewals.
The body aims to meet government objectives for biodiversity, air quality and waste by investing in emissions reductions and “targeted” net zero initiatives, the announcement said.
Plans to boost punctuality and reliability include £1.85bn for ‘next generation’ signalling technology, which the organisation said could improve train performance.
Infrastructure-monitoring technology will be installed on trains to prevent employees “needlessly” having to visit tracks, the announcement said, while lifts, escalators, lighting and passenger information systems will be improved to boost security and safety.
“Our plans include investment in technology and research and development, and will facilitate the introduction of major projects such as Transpennine Route Upgrade, preparing for HS2 and other targeted investment across the country,” the announcement said.
The plan has a target of 7.5% freight growth across the network, described in the announcement as “ambitious but realistic”.
Network Rail’s funding is made available by government over five-year ‘control periods’. Control period 7 (CP7) will start on 1 April 2024, running until 2029. Adjusting for changes in electricity costs, the £44bn figure is £1.8bn more than CP6 (2019-2024).
Chief executive Andrew Haines said: “As we look to the next five years, the government’s commitment to invest £44 billion in the operations, maintenance and renewal of England and Wales’s railway is a clear indication of the strong economic value rail brings to Britain.
“Our plan for CP7 is ambitious, focussed on our passengers and customers, and reflects the current complexities and challenges facing the industry. There will no doubt be obstacles ahead, and I look forward to working collaboratively with the sector to deliver this plan, reshape the industry and build a railway that is fit for the future.”
The five-year plan aims to lay the foundations for Great British Railways (GBR), the planned public body that will oversee rail transport in Great Britain.
The plan for Scotland’s railways will be published this summer, Network Rail said.
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