Environment Agency staff last night (7 November 2021) temporarily installed a flood barrier, the first of its type in the UK, across the railway at Newhaven, East Sussex.
The successful exercise was done in close cooperation with Network Rail to ensure that if flooding struck, the Environment Agency's plans for protecting the community and the safety of all those involved could be achieved.
The exercise was arranged to coincide with planned engineering works on the railway to avoid disruption to the local community.
The Environment Agency's work on the railway forms part of the £17.5 million Newhaven flood alleviation scheme, which was opened by Maria Caulfield MP last month. It is just one of many 'winter ready' schemes and projects ensuring communities are prepared for the stormy conditions and increased flood risk that can be experienced during the winter months.
Two newly built large earth embankments sit either side of the railway north of the town adjacent to Parsons level crossing. An impermeable barrier sits underneath the tracks in the ballast and any time forecasts show that flooding is expected, the line will be closed and the Environment Agency will deploy the temporary flood barrier across the tracks on the modified crossing.
Nick Gray, Solent and South Downs Flood and Coastal Risk Manager said:
The need to extend defences across a live railway line was a notable challenge for the scheme. A unique solution was needed so we built a base and new walls to tie into the flood embankments and installed drainage as well as diverting signalling, power and telecoms cables.
By temporarily joining these two embankments we can form a complete flood defence in the event of a major flood.
Geodesign Barriers, the barrier provider, was on site to support the Environment Agency alongside the Newhaven flood alleviation scheme contractor JacksonHyder, with Network Rail overseeing rail health and safety.
The work on the railway has been complex involving close collaboration between numerous organisations, both in the private and public sectors, to design and build this unique solution.
Logan Subramaniam, Head of Asset Protection for Network Rail said:
Network Rail's Kent and Sussex Asset Protection team have worked very closely with the Environment Agency and it has given us great satisfaction at having been part of this successful project. We are working hard to understand the impacts that climate change will have on the performance of our assets and services, along with the safety of our workforce and passengers.
