Landslips and Flooding on Scotland’s Railway Infrastructure

Our Ref: HSR/4/2
Head Office Circular: NP/141/21
4th May 2021
To: The Secretary
ALL BRANCHES
REGIONAL COUNCILS

Dear Colleague,

LANDSLIPS AND FLOODING ON SCOTLAND’S RAILWAY INFRASTRUCTURE

I write further to Head Office Circular NP/128/21.

Your National Executive Committee (NEC) met on 29th April 2021 and noted and adopted the report as below from its Health and Safety Sub-Committee, from when it met to consider issues that are causing landslips and flooding on Scotland’s Railway Infrastructure on a regular basis.

Having met with our Regional Organiser - Scotland, we instruct the General Secretary to draft a position paper on this issue that takes account of:
· The long-term issues including climatic and weather changes and the effect on the infrastructure.
· The measures that have already been enacted by Network Rail including the use of specialist and experts.
· The need for regular and vigilant regimes in regard to earthworks, civils and vegetation.
· The immediate needs in relation to the issues which include, the requirement for adequately resourced off-track teams who have sufficient staffing, training, competence and equipment to tackle issues and make safe the infrastructure as opposed to the company’s intention of cutting back staff and cyclical and regular maintenance and intervention.
The General Secretary is also instructed to arrange a meeting with Network Rail and report back on this issue to the NEC.

The draft document to be placed before this NEC for consideration.

I am acting in accordance with this instruction and will keep you advised of developments.

Please bring the contents of this circular to the attention of relevant members.

Yours sincerely

Mick Cash
General Secretary