March 2020 Network Rail: Understanding the impact of the Shoreline Management Plans on the railway across Wales & Borders Understanding the impact of the Shoreline Management Plans on the railway across Wales & Borders – Interim Findings 1 March 2020 Network Rail: Understanding the impact of the Shoreline Management Plans on the railway across Wales & Borders Contents Foreword 4 Introduction 5 The Case for Change 7 Today’s immediate challenges: Habitat in Wales 9 Shoreline Management Plans 12 Fairbourne 14 Conwy Valley Line 16 Old Colwyn Sea Wall 17 A Way Forward: AssetCoast 18 Rail industry funding 19 Pilot research study area: Cardigan Bay and the Cambrian Coast Line 20 Summary and roadmap to final publication 23 Appendix A: Shoreline Management Plan process flowchart 24 Appendix B: Detailed SMP policies for Cardigan Bay 25 Appendix C: SMP policy maps for Wales for each epoch from Natural Resources 32 Wales Appendix D: Glossary 33 2 March 2020 Network Rail: Understanding the impact of the Shoreline Management Plans on the railway across Wales & Borders Foreword The impact of climate change and more regular occurrence of In addition, many parts of these routes are located in areas severe weather events, such as storms Ciara and Dennis in early which are classed as Natura 2000 sites, meaning any ‘plans or 2020, provides demonstrable evidence that much greater projects’ in these areas are subject to Habitat Regulations planning activity will need to be undertaken to consider the which may suggest habitat compensation is required, impact on our communities and on the other national particularly in areas affected by coastal squeeze. infrastructure that serves these communities such as the national road and rail networks. From a railway perspective, Coastal Groups and Local Authorities are starting to interpret storms in recent years have had a devastating impact on the the Shoreline Management Plans, their wider policy and railway network with a number of railway lines having had to regulatory context in Wales. be closed, sometimes for many months. Key examples include Given the extent of coastal rail assets in Wales, it has been at Dawlish, the Conwy Valley Line and along the Cambrian determined that further guidance is required to raise Coast Line, all having had to be substantially rebuilt at awareness of these impacts on the railway and how it is 1) locations which have seen extensive storm and/or flood funded for operations, maintenance and renewals, and 2) the damage. This has had significant negative economic impacts longer-term strategic considerations that will require to be to those parts of the country. These events also had a assessed to ensure alignment with regional adaptation of the significant impact on the communities they serve, with Shoreline Management Plans and policy. significant impacts on passengers and the movement of freight. Increased levels of rain fall, and tidal surges has also This interim document sets out the initial research undertaken, caused flooding which impacts the rail network significantly which has involved significant engagement with Welsh and we can expect these phenomena to become more of the Government, Natural Resources Wales, Gwynedd County norm as the world continues to get warmer and see levels Council (who are leading in their Shoreline Management continue to rise. adaptation planning), climate change experts, and rail industry asset management teams in Wales & Borders route. This seeks Shoreline management planning is becoming ever more to highlight the challenges the rail network and industry will important. Looking to the future, there will undoubtably be have to face to meet the wider societal challenges of climate difficult and in some cases particularly stark choices to be made change and rising sea levels. This interim assessment identifies as to how our communities and supporting infrastructure will some of the emerging gaps and their impacts arising out of the need to adapt to these environmental challenges. The Shoreline Management Plans and the HRAs and options for Shoreline Management Plans nationally seeks to address these working more collaboratively with wider stakeholders to meet considerations by setting out a framework and timescale by these challenges. It also seeks to set out a road map for further when the policy will be enacted to meet the challenges of work to be undertaken during 2020/21.This will look to assess climate change and rising sea levels. in greater detail the impact of the Shoreline Management The Network Rail Wales and Borders route has the most Plans on the Wales & Borders network to provide a longer-term extensive amount of coastal railway in GB, with a significant line of sight to inform rail funders and policy makers of when part of the rail network located in coastal and river valley future further significant strategic planning and decisions will locations. Often the railway in itself provides either a primary be required. or lesser line of defence against coastal erosion simply due to This document has been produced by the Wales Strategic where it was constructed. Planning team who are part of the System Operator function of Network Rail and if you would like any further information, please contact: [email protected]. 3 March 2020 Network Rail: Understanding the impact of the Shoreline Management Plans on the railway across Wales & Borders Introduction Current situation Study Purpose, Scope and Methodology The aim of this study is to outline the key risks facing the This interim study has been produced, following discussions railway and highlighting potential options for the railway over between Network Rail and Stakeholders, initially as a piece of the next three epochs, up to 2105. This document will be used research, to seek to provide an initial assessment of what these to influence strategic planning within the railway and wider complex issues mean for sustaining the national rail network in transport network, which is laid out in the roadmap later in the coastal areas, in line with prescribed policy relating to rising sea document. This study is influenced by climate change and levels and climate change. extreme weather which is an ever-prominent issue making headlines nationally and globally. At the time of writing, the The document is structured as follows: UK, including parts of Wales, is recovering from the damage The Case for Change – outlining why this document has been caused by storms Ciara and Dennis. Not only have these storms produced and explains the global impact of climate change caused widespread flooding to homes and businesses, the and how this explicitly impacts on transport systems and railway has also suffered with some lines closed for several networks. days, and longer across the whole of Wales. There is a need to start considering the longer-term impact of climate change The next three areas highlight the current challenges that and more frequent extreme weather events in our strategic today’s railway faces: planning activity. Habitat in Wales – reviewing the habitat in Wales, why this is Across GB, Wales has the largest amount of coastal railway and a unique challenge, and impacts arising from the need for the continued evidence of sea level rises means a longer-term compliance with Habitat Regulation Assessments; view is required on what the predicted future changes to the Shoreline Management Plans (SMPs) – addressing the Welsh coastline will mean for our railway assets, passengers outcomes of the individual SMPs which have been produced and freight users. These coastal lines generally serve more rural across GB to address future changes in coastal processes such communities, providing key social connectivity for the as sea level rise. This includes three specific geographical case passengers who use them. Due to their coastal nature these studies which illustrate examples of where extreme weather, lines also have vital roles for the local and regional tourism habitat regulations and SMPs are, and will in the future, having industry. an impact on the railway. These are at: Fairbourne, Conwy Additionally, Network Rail needs to be able to continue Valley Line and Old Colwyn Sea Wall; maintaining, renewing and operating these coastal assets AssetCoast – detailing one of the ways Network Rail is looking despite the specific environmental challenges which assets to address these issues, including one of the tools currently face based on their localised shoreline planning and many used to monitor coastal railway assets; locations being in conservation areas. In the future Network Rail needs to understand what funding will be required for How the railway is currently funded – explaining how future asset requirements. This can only be done if shoreline Network Rail is funded and governed in terms of operating, planning is done collaboratively, working with local authorities maintain, renewal and enhancing the rail network; and other infrastructure and land owners. Pilot Research area: Cardigan Bay – detailing the immediate issues facing the railway and communities on the Cambrian Coast Line; Summary and roadmap to final publication – setting out how this document will continue to evolve and develop to a final publication in Spring 2021. 4 March 2020 Network Rail: Understanding the impact of the Shoreline Management Plans on the railway across Wales & Borders Introduction cont. Work to date has involved invaluable collaboration with a This interim document therefore seeks to outline a roadmap to range of industry and wider stakeholders including Natural the further work needed in this regard. This work builds on early Resources Wales and Local Authorities. engagement and activity undertaken with a number of organisations, particularly Gwynedd County Council who is This interim study focuses on the more immediate forecast actively engaging with Network Rail with regard to the impact changes in coastal processes in the Cardigan Bay area and the of Climate Change on the Cambrian Coast Line. Cambrian Coast railway line.