Helping freight pull more weightÂ
Rail freight has an ambitious target to boost capacity by 75 per cent by 2050. Industry collaboration is vital to success. RSSB[1] Professional Head of Freight Dougie Hill explains the part research and standards play in making it happen safely Rail freight plays a vital role for the UK, whether it's transporting food to supermarkets, moving construction materials, or delivering goods to businesses and eventually consumers.
In the process, the rail freight industry contributes GBP2.5 billion a year to the economy. It's also essential to the UK's net zero targets. According to the UK Government, a tonne of freight moved by rail produces 76 per cent fewer carbon emissions than moving it by road.
With a freight train carrying as much as 110 lorries, increasing rail freight will reduce Britain's carbon footprint and cut traffic jams, too. There's potential for rail freight to contribute even more - economically and environmentally. That's why the Government has a set a target to increase rail freight capacity by 75 per cent by 2050.
This is a challenging goal, whether it's making sure the existing network can support extra freight capacity alongside passenger traffic or encouraging road freight customers to switch modes. Success calls for collaboration between all parts of the industry, including freight operators, entities in charge of maintenance (ECMs) and infrastructure owners. They're already coming together with initiatives to increase freight capacity.
At the heart of this is the Rail Safety and Standards Board (RSSB), supporting the industry with research, standards and innovation, as well as tools and horizon scanning, and helping freight to grow in a cost-effective and safe way. Freight is a key priority for us, reflected in the strategic commitments in our business plan, and participation in industry initiatives such as the Freight Safe Steering Group. By facilitating collaboration, we make it possible for the rail freight sector to keep improving operating performance.
Probing the possibilities for more rail freight capacity A key part of unlocking more rail freight capacity is the use of longer, heavier and faster trains. RSSB research is clarifying what's possible, focusing on rolling stock and infrastructure while paving the way for new standards.
This research has already shown that the previous estimates of coupler strength were too conservative. Adjusting those means that additional volume can go by rail using existing rolling stock. This research has already benefited numerous freight services, including aggregates train flows from South Wales, which have been able to add additional wagons to their services.
Other studies are now looking to establish criteria for freight trains to travel faster, as speeds are currently limited by the braking ability of some freight trains and by aerodynamic risk, which currently limit trains to 75mph. Maintenance has a big role to play in boosting capacity, as it limits rolling-stock downtime. So, the freight sector's Wagon Condition Programme, supported by RSSB, is investigating how technology can cut maintenance costs.
We're developing a predictive maintenance decision tool for supporting pre-emptive maintenance of wheelsets. The programme is also researching links between braking and low adhesion, to make damage to wagons and track less likely. Longer, faster trains would boost freight's low-carbon credentials.
Using a bespoke freight model, research found that increasing the length of trains hauled by Class 66 diesel-powered locomotives, and allowing them to travel faster and with heavier axle loads, would use less energy and emit less carbon. The project also showed that electrifying more of the rail network would boost carbon reductions even more. Resilient infrastructure is another enabler for more freight volume.
Research is analysing the impact of higher freight-train axle loads on infrastructure by creating a method to assess how heavier loads affect masonry and metal bridges, and potentially earthworks, to find the safest routes for heavier trains. Avoiding unnecessary changes to such infrastructure will reduce costs too. Making safety the backbone of a busier freight network
More freight means a busier rail network, putting even more emphasis on the need for safety. Our work in this area is contributing knowledge that will help the industry grow safely and economically. Through Freight Safe Insights, for instance, we're sharing data on incidents and accidents to help the industry make better decisions, and reduce duplication, by drawing on a central bank of intelligence.
The freight industry has seen that, when it comes together and works collaboratively on issues such as safety, which are fundamental to its reputation and credibility, everybody benefits. Early examples of information-sharing include precursor data that sheds light on events and activities that either contribute to or prevent accidents. This has only been possible because freight operating companies have come together to share this data and look beyond their competitive interests.
The Freight Safe Programme (FSP) is the sector's collaborative health and safety plan to facilitate freight growth. A priority project of the FSP is the development of an emerging risks horizon scanning service for freight service providers, operators and other stakeholders. RSSB is developing the service, which will be based on a quarterly report on emerging risks, alongside support for organisations to use the information.
It aims to help the industry anticipate risks better, identify issues which may require collective response, and help individual organisations explore their own wider business risks. Standards - underpinning safe freight Standards help underpin a safe rail network by defining technical requirements, as well as the processes and tasks needed to achieve them, and so giving clarity to everyone from senior management to frontline staff.
They also help reduce and control costs by promoting consistency in everything from equipment design to checking rolling stock. Keeping costs as low as possible is important for everyone in the sector and we're committed to help the sector achieve this. In the case of freight, standards either published recently or due in 2025 as part of Freight Safe's Wagon Condition programme focus on areas including maintaining freight wagons and preparing them to enter the network.
Freight operators and ECMs can and do divide maintenance and preparation differently between them. But the standards make clear which tasks they have to complete before rolling stock can join the network, whether it's testing brakes or checking couplings. They also show what the target specifications are, define how long tasks should take, and list the competencies and information that staff need in order to carry them out.
A continuous cycle of research, publishing new or updated standards and then monitoring the standards in use, makes sure they stay up to date and relevant. In the run-up to new or updated standards, technical notes let us rapidly give stakeholders guidance on key topics. An example of this is technical note TN2323 'Guidance on wagon maintenance related to recommendations from RAIB reports', available on the RSSB website.
This brings together guidance on wagon maintenance based on recommendations from the Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) in the wake of the 2020 freight derailment at Llangennech.
All these initiatives are helping bring the rail freight sector together to grow safely and rise to the challenge of playing an even bigger part in the UK's prosperity.
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References
- ^ RSSB (www.rssb.co.uk)
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