Rachel Russell reports on ambitious plans to de-carbonise the trains.
T
Full steam ahead for the electrification of Scotland’s rail network? Never has there been a greater focus on going electric – whether it’s the switch to electric vehicles, mains-power heating for our homes or the growing interests in electric motorsports. Transport is Scotland’s biggest greenhouse gas emitting sector, accounting for nearly 36% of emissions in 2018, so the Scottish Government published the rail Services Decarbonisation Action Plan in July 2020. This sets out ambitious plans to electrify more of the rail network and remove diesel from passenger trains over the next 15 to 25 years. The Action Plan is considered a fundamental aspect of achieving NetZero by 2045 by removing diesel trains and encouraging travellers to ditch their cars and hit the rails. Holyrood is committed to a substantial rolling programme of electrification that will bring economic, social and environmental benefits, but it is no small task. Alongside the electrification of the infrastructure, two other green technologies that are likely to be well enough established to make an impact in the future are hydrogen, and batterypowered trains. These are currently expensive and limited in power output and performance, but they are flexible and can be used independently or in conjunction with ‘discontinuous electrification’ – leaving gaps in overhead line equipment where there are non-compliant structures,
instead using on-board energy storage systems to power trains across these gaps. With some 1,616km of track to be electrified and physical and geographical constraints to navigate, there is light at the end of the tunnel for the Scottish Government’s ambitious target, but the challenge of reaching it cannot be overlooked. South of the Border, Network rail is partway through the £1.2 billion East Coast Upgrade to improve the power supply to enable faster, quieter and more environmentally friendly electric trains to run. With phase 2 due to modernise the route between Darlington and Edinburgh, completion of the Edinburgh to Aberdeen route will be of paramount importance to Holyrood. Our surveyors are seeing increased approaches from Network rail and other delivery partners seeking to collect soil samples and ground data from land managers adjacent to the existing rail network. The end goal is clear, but it is important to ensure access and land right terms are agreed to protect the land manager’s position from the outset. If you’re either a landowner or occupier who has been approached in relation to railway upgrade works, do get in touch with us.
Page 26 | Energy Matters | Summer 2022 | galbraithgroup.com
rachel.russell@galbraithgroup.com 07884 657219
THE PLAN: HOW SCOTLAND’ RAiL NETWORk SHOuLD LOO