South Wales Mainline
Electrification FAQ
In July 2012, the Secretary of State for Transport announced
the decision to electrify the railway between London and
Swansea - a major enhancement programme funded by the
Department for Transport.
Electrifying this key railway route will mean faster, greener,
quieter and more reliable journeys for thousands of
passengers.
In Wales, this involves work to the South Wales Mainline – an
important rail route linking major towns and cities across the
region. It runs from the Severn Tunnel in Monmouthshire,
through Newport, Cardiff, Bridgend, Port Talbot, Neath
and Swansea.
Over the next few years a significant construction programme
will be required to transform this route. Work will start at the
eastern end of the line in England and progress into South
Wales, with completion expected in 2018.
What are the benefits
of electrification?
Why can’t we keep the railway
as it is?
Electrification will transform the railway between Swansea
and London to make journeys faster, more reliable, greener
and quieter for tens of thousands of passengers.
Electrification will help respond to record passenger
demand – plus give the potential for more trains and
faster journeys.
Electric trains are better for the environment as they emit
less carbon than diesel trains. They are also quieter for
both those onboard the train and those living close to the
railway. Furthermore, journey time savings can be made
thanks to superior braking and acceleration.
The existing diesel powered trains have been in service
since 1976 and are considered to be more expensive,
environmentally inferior and less comfortable than
available electric alternatives as maintenance and fuel
costs are higher. Diesel trains cause greater pollution
levels during operation, are heavier than electric trains
(wearing out the track quicker) and generate more noise.
Electric trains also have more seats than diesel trains of the
same length and provide smoother and more comfortable
journeys for passengers. They are also cheaper to operate
than diesels, have lower energy costs and are lighter, thus
causing less damage to the track.
Electrification will help support economic growth across
many of our cities and towns by improving the connection
between South Wales and London.
What will the project involve
and how long will it take?
What is a typical height of overhead
power lines?
Before work can begin on electrifying the railway,
we need to complete a vast amount of design and
preparation work. We need to upgrade bridges and
tunnels, carry out safety improvement work to bridge
parapets, undertake work to strengthen railway
embankments, assess all footpath and level crossings
and clear overgrown vegetation running outside the rail.
The standard height for the contact wire is 4.7
metres. At locations where there are level crossings
this increases to 5.8 metres to allow for clearance of
vehicles crossing the infrastructure.
Once this is complete we will begin to undertake the
piling works required to install foundations which will
facilitate overhead electrical lines. We will then install
the supporting structures and the wires. Work in Wales
will begin in early 2015, with electric trains expected to
run to Cardiff in 2017 and Swansea is 2018.
Why does Network Rail need to
remove lineside vegetation?
Network Rail needs to clear all woody vegetation
up to 6.6 metres of the outside running rail
on both sides of the track (within our railway
land boundary). Once cleared, this area will be
maintained to avoid vegetation encroachment.
This work is vital if we are to deliver a safer and
more reliable railway.
Largely, the work is required to ensure safe
operation of the OLE system by removing the touch
or fall potential from vegetation, which can ‘short
out’ the live parts of the system.
However, lineside vegetation can also obscure
signals, damage overhead power lines or fall on
the tracks and into the path of an oncoming train,
risking a derailment.
Where existing bridges are too low to
accommodate overhead power lines,
how does Network Rail approach this?
In order to electrify the railway we need to ensure that
we have sufficient clearance levels for the overhead line
equipment under existing bridges.
Over 60 rail, road and foot bridges between the Severn
Tunnel and Swansea require modification as they are too
low to accommodate the new infrastructure.
In each case, one of the following solutions will be
applied;
- Bridge reconstruction – the bridge will be demolished
and rebuilt
- Track lowering – the formation level is reduced to lower
the track and gain sufficient clearance
- Bridge jacking – some structures can be lifted into a
higher position
- Structure removal – a small number of bridges that are
no longer used may be removed.
We will also raise the parapet (side wall) height on a
number of existing bridges. Solid parapets at a minimum
height of 1.85 metres are required for safety reasons,
considering the possible risk of unintentional, accidental,
or deliberate contact with OLE.
Does Network Rail need planning
consent to do the work?
As maintainer of a key national asset, Network Rail has
certain rights to undertake essential works, and we will be
carrying out this work under our ‘Permitted Development’
rights. We are working closely with Local Planning
Authorities and other stakeholders to develop our plans
and take their feedback.
My home is close to the
railway, will I be safe from the
overhead wires?
Network Rail will utilise protective provisions to ensure
public safety from direct contact with OLE.
European standards state that any public accessible
‘standing surface’ must be at a greater distance than
3.5 meters of a live High Voltage overhead contact line
system. If an area is less than the 3.5 meters distance
then we will, in the first instance, redesign the system to
increase the distance to greater than 3.5 meters from a
standing surface.
If this solution can not be incorporated, obstacles shall be
provided as protection against direct contact with
live parts.
The design of obstacles is dependent on the location of
the standing surfaces relative to the live parts but can
include safety critical fencing between land boundaries
or an earthed mesh to cover any live components from
opening windows.
All earthing and bonding of metallic fencing shall be
carried out in accordance with Railway and the British
Standards Institute (BSI). Where rail based metal
structures lay too close to third party metal structures,
they shall be separated or covered with an insulating
material such as wood or GRP (Glass Reinforced Plastic).
What happens if a power line gets
damaged in a storm or if it snows
heavily?
The railway is no different from other modes of transport
in being affected by winter weather, including snow, ice,
high winds and storms.
Network Rail uses a range of tools to help combat severe
winter weather, including:
Weather forecasts: MeteoGroup provides Network Rail
with a specialist forecast which predicts the weather and
the specific conditions which could affect the network.
Prevention: Train operators will run empty passenger
trains, or ‘ghost trains’ throughout the night to try and
prevent snow and ice building up. Some train operators
will also have anti-icing equipment attached to their trains
to cover an even larger area.
Inspections: Teams inspect the track on foot, removing
dead and diseased trees and any vegetation from our land
that is at risk of coming into contact with the overhead
power lines.
Design: We are reducing the distance between supports
for overhead power lines in areas prone to high winds.
We’re also installing “surge arrest” equipment to prevent
lightning strikes from damaging signalling equipment.
Preparation: Using historic data, we predict which areas
are at the highest risk of lightning strikes and ensure that
maintenance stores are fully stocked with parts which are
likely to be damaged.
When reconstructing bridges, will
roads be closed? For how long for?
Road closures will affect me,
can I receive compensation?
Undertaking bridge reconstruction work will mean that
some disruption is unavoidable - including the temporary
closures of roads and footpaths - but we will make every
effort to minimise disruption to local communities and
are committed to completing the works as quickly and
efficiently as possible.
Network Rail will be working to minimise disruption to
communities as much as possible. However, the nature
of some of our work means that some disruption is
unavoidable.
Where possible, we try to avoid reconstructing bridges as
this is usually the most costly option and, in the case of
road bridges, causes disruption to the road network. We
are challenging our design teams and contractors working
on the electrification scheme to present us with innovative
solutions to prevent a complete reconstruction.
At a number of locations however, the only feasible option
is to reconstruct the bridge, particularly if it is nearing
its end of life or is in poor condition. Once this work is
completed the reconstructed bridges will have a lifespan
in excess of 100 years.
We are carefully planning the project to stagger the work
programme and eliminate the chances of neighbouring
bridges being closed at the same time.
We will work closely with local authorities to ensure
effective and appropriate diversions are put in place
and these are publicised widely. We will keep local
communities and road users informed of progress as we
work to deliver this vital project.
As a company we do not have an obligation to provide
compensation for loss of earnings as a result of works
that we are carrying out on our infrastructure (unless the
loss results from damage or personal injury). Additionally,
the project has not been directly funded to provide
compensation payments.
We have a right and a duty to maintain and renew our
assets and infrastructure and, in the case of a road
closure, we apply for legal road closures through the
correct channels. We will also work closely with the
communities to keep them informed of the closure before
and during the work.
UK Law has the view that businesses should not have the
right to any particular given level of passing trade, and
that traders / businesses must take the risk of loss due to
temporary disruption of traffic flows along with all the
other various risks of running a business.
However, if a business feels that it is entitled to a claim,
it can submit this via our Claims Department (via the
National Helpline - 08457 11 41 41). All claims would
be considered on their own merits. Compensation is a
complicated subject and any individual who believes
their business is affected is strongly recommended to
consult a legal professional and/or consult the citizens
advice bureau.
What steps have you taken to
reduce the impact of the work
on people and the local area?
What will you do to manage the
environmental impact of your
proposals?
Throughout the duration of construction, Network Rail
and our partners will endeavour to work responsibly
in the local community, ensuring the site is managed
effectively and regular communication is undertaken
with site neighbours and road users. We will hold public
information sessions with our neighbours to discuss all
aspects of the project and answer any questions they
may have.
We will aim to minimise our impact on the natural
environment. Before any works begin, we will carry
out an ecological survey to identify any protected
species or nesting birds in the area. If any species are
identified, appropriate methods of working will then
be put into place.
For those living close to the railway, engineering work
can be noisy – but we do our best to keep noise and
disruption to a minimum. We use a range of measures
to ensure this, including requiring our employees and
contractors to behave considerately towards people
who live and work near the railway, positioning lighting
and generators away from homes and using silenced
equipment where possible.
Throughout the project, we anticipate that a lot of the
work will be carried out during normal working hours;
however, evening and night-time work will also be
required on both weekdays and weekends.
Safety is our number one priority and for this reason,
some of the work must be carried out while trains are
not running. Also, under our license conditions we are
contractually obliged to work, whenever possible, at
times that cause the least disruption to train services.
This means carrying out some of our improvement work
during the night.
Network Rail will also seek to diminish the effects of
new infrastructure on areas which are designated for
their landscape, wildlife or cultural significance and
other sites valued for their amenity such as conservation
areas, areas of archaeological interest and local
wildlife sites.
We recognise that the Mainline is rich in history and
heritage, making any improvement programme
complex. Due to the significance of the route we are
working closely with stakeholders to make sure sensitive
structures are safeguarded.
Full environmental impact assessments of the route
have been carried out by specialist consultants who
have submitted an environmental scoping report to
local authorities and other stakeholders and received
feedback to create an Environmental Statement.
What trains will be used?
Once the electrification project is complete, the new
Hitachi Intercity Express Programme trains will be used,
with extra capacity and delivering the potential to reduce
the journey times from London to Cardiff – from just over
two hours, to less than 1 hour and 45 minutes.
Who is working with Network Rail
on the project?
In Wales, Network Rail is working with its principal
contractors ABC Electrification, as well a number of other
groups including Carillion, BAM Nuttall, Alun Griffiths, Kier,
Group and AMCO.
Will Network Rail’s work
create new jobs?
What about Valley Lines
Electrification
The construction industry will receive a welcome boost
during project delivery, through the installation of the
wires and other associated building and civil engineering
work. As well as construction jobs, thousands more
opportunities will be created in UK manufacturing and
service supply chains.
In late 2014, the UK and Welsh Governments announced
that the Valley Lines railway is to be electrified. The
initial assumption is that work to install the new
infrastructure will be delivered within Control Period 6
(2019 – 2024) however preparation work may begin in
advance.
We are also developing our skills base, through our
apprentice programme, in order to provide the workforce
needed to maintain the overhead wires when installed.
We are at an early stage of the project, with details
and timescales yet to be confirmed. We will continue
to work with both governments on the project and
further information regarding timescales will be
provided in the future.
Investing in electrification and improved rail links can also
indirectly help grow the economy. Improved rail links will
make our towns and cities better locations for business
to invest with confidence. Improved rail links also create
better connections between people and jobs – they help
deepen labour markets and enable millions of people to
get to their place of work and back home every day.
For more information:
See networkrail.co.uk. We also
operate a dedicated 24-hour
National Helpline which can be
reached on 03457 11 41 41.