Network Rail – a New Approach to Coastal Asset Management – North Wales Case Study

Network Rail in partnership with JBA Consulting have recently developed a new methodology to assess the risk posed by coastal processes to the Network Rail portfolio of coastal, estuarine and river flood and erosion defence assets, and the rail track infrastructure that they protect. This paper discusses the context of the system in relation to the latest guidance on effective asset management, the new coastal process risk assessment methodology that was established, the tools developed to deliver the system, and the findings from the pilot study which considered 29 Coastal, Estuarine and River Defence (CERDs) assets located across the north Wales coast (see Figure 1). The CERD assets owned and maintained by Network Rail include a variety of structures including sea walls, rock revetments, masonry pitching, breakwaters and softer elements such as beaches, salt marsh and dune systems.