Network Rail has revealed that an initiative developed by the Central Rail Systems Alliance (CRSA) will lead to significant cuts in costs and carbon emissions.

The CRSA is made up of Network Rail, AtkinsRéalis, Balfour Beatty and TSO. It has operated for ten years in the London North West, London North East and East Midland areas.

The Alliance works on developing, designing and delivering track renewals and crossings, and associated infrastructure works.

Its latest innovation involves thermal modelling. It will use the opportunity of planned track renewals to increase the number of points heating systems.

Installing these on a significant number of important rail routes will help to prevent the build-up of snow and ice. This will improve the reliability of railway operations when the weather was cold.

Installing this technology will also be less costly in terms of energy consumption than similar work has been previously.

Network Rail has implemented a National Variation to allow a reduction from 200 Watts/metre to 150 Watts/metre for point heating systems. CRSA and Network Rail’s Eastern Routes capital programmes (track) engineering team recommended the change.

AtkinsRéalis, which has also developed a new signalling system for use on East West Rail, conducted an extensive thermal modelling exercise on behalf of the CRSA. This identified ways in which energy efficiency could be improved and standards amended.

The measures identified will achieve a saving of over £3.6m, as it will no longer be necessary to upgrades power networks due to the lower power consumption now required. This will also mean that track upgrades will not be delayed.

Network Rail expects the policy change to save millions of pounds each year, with average savings of £190,000 per site. The initiative also reduces safety risks, as workers will not need to physically install new Distribution Network Operator (DNO) and lineside equipment.

Network Rail’s Eastern region has removed the need for DNO upgrades at Northallerton and Black Carr, with existing supply capacity able to meet the demand.

“This initiative demonstrates our commitment to collaborative working, stakeholder engagement and what can be achieved through a collective approach to finding more efficient solutions and ensuring we spend public money wisely, while continuing to operate a safe, efficient and reliable railway. Recognising that track cannot be 100% resilient to the extremes of cold weather, this approval of this variation will continue to maintain our high standards of safety and performance, in putting passengers first, whilst reducing costs and our carbon footprint.”

Steve Hughes, Network Rail project director