Climate change could spark UK rail revival

[John Ashworth]

Climate change could spark UK rail revival and tourism boom, research finds

Reports from Network Rail and Natural England say disused railways could reopen if higher summer temperatures foster greater domestic tourism

* James Meikle
* guardian.co.uk, Friday 28 January 2011 07.00 GMT

Disused rail lines may be reopened – or new ones commissioned – if the climate change that raises Britain's summer temperatures also proves a boon for domestic tourism.

The prospect of a rail revival in coastal areas of southern England and Wales, in particular, is tantalisingly raised by Network Rail bosses in a document outlining how they are preparing for the challenges from floods, storms, coastal erosion, and rising temperatures and sea levels.

Along with the familiar gloom about buckling rails, damaged bridges and flooded tracks comes a ray of optimism about new opportunities – although work has barely begun, and there will be no huge reversal of the infamous 1960s Beeching cuts.

Natural England, the government's advisory body, today also suggests more people may prefer to holiday at home in the future, bolstering demands for conservation and good water quality. It also sounds a note of warning: wetter winters could hamper hillwalking and reduce opportunities for snow-based recreation such as skiing; and hotter, drier summers could hurt the appeal of already crowded areas such as the Lake District and the Cornish coast.

Researchers at Birmingham, Loughborough and Nottingham universities, working with transport bodies, are looking at scenarios 40 years ahead, taking in the social, political, economic and engineering consequences for UK road, rail and air networks. They will focus on the London-Glasgow corridor, where a new high-speed rail link is already planned, but draw out lessons for elsewhere.

The Network Rail report says it "is looking to identify geographical areas that might benefit in some ways from climate change. For example, coastal areas may experience longer, warmer summers, and this may lead to tourism and leisure opportunities and increased demand for rail, and perhaps reusing decommissioned routes or developing new lines, in the longer term. This is something that could be developed in the future with local authorities within their future travel and tourism plans."

One researcher involved in the project suggested possibilities could include more light rail projects, the addition of new stops on intercity lines and the re-inclusion of popular destinations such as Falmouth on direct routes.

Network Rail, whose infrastructure has struggled with two winters of heavy snow, strikes another optimistic note: fewer cold winter days may also "lead to a more reliable infrastructure and operations and fewer accidents on the railway for staff and passengers... such as a reduction in slips and falls from icy platforms, station entrances and exits, depot access walkways and roads."

Natural England, meanwhile, sees a possible silver lining for commercial sea fishing – not just from warm water species moving into the North Sea, but also from less carbon-hungry ships, refrigeration of catches and transport, and more selective fishing gear, as the concept of "fish miles" follows that of food miles.

The two reports on how organisations plan to adapt to climate change are among the first seven of about 100 expected this year from companies, regulators and government departments responsible for airports, ports, power supplies, transport and other infrastructure, as well as the environment. Others today come from the Environment Agency, Highways Agency, national grids for electricity and gas, and Trinity House, the body for lighthouses and marine pilots.

They mark an early stage in a cross-Whitehall analysis that, next year, will detail the greatest risks to core services this century – and put price tags on them – if official UK climate change projections prove correct. A horizon-scanning report prepared for the environment department Defra last month warned of severe disruption if Britain failed to prepare properly.

Among warnings aired today are prospects for more woodland and moorland fires and extra pressure on wildlife; bleak prospects for salmon and trout fishing in southern England; severe pollution from flooding in the South Wales valleys; 13 electricity substations needing extra flood defences; and five lighthouses falling into the sea and others being rendered unusable. New foundations may be needed for the famous, but now automated, Needles lighthouse.

But lessons are being learned, too. The Highways Agency is developing road surfaces similar to those of southern France, an area more accustomed to hot weather. The Environment Agency is investigating a move of Lake District fish populations – specifically vendace and schelly – to other sites in northern England and Scotland. And old metallic gas pipes are being replaced by less brittle polyethylene ones.

The environment minister, Lord Henley, said: "It is crucial that major organisations with key roles in keeping the country running are alive to the risks that a changing climate will have on their business, because they need to start planning for how they're going to adapt. Defra commissioned these reports so that we could understand how prepared the providers of key services are, and focus their minds on taking action... Planning now will prevent a lot of expense down the line when the projections of climate change become a reality."