Media centre

Wednesday 12 Jul 2006

NEW £8 MILLION INITIATIVE TO CLEAN UP THE RAILWAY

Region & Route:

National

An £8 million initiative to improve the visual appearance of the rail network was launched today by Network Rail. The company unveiled its new scheme to tackle graffiti, fly-tipping and redundant buildings and train carriages as it published its 2006 Corporate Responsibility Report.  In the past 12 months Network Rail has removed almost 50,000 tonnes of rubbish and scrap, demolished 300 derelict buildings and started a pilot programme to remove unsightly redundant railway carriages from beside the railway.  A co-ordinated programme has now been set in motion to target those parts of the railway that suffer most from these problems. From sofas, fridges, freezers and the kitchen sink, to graffiti outside London Bridge station and rusting 1960s carriages – all have been targeted in the last 12 months and more will be done in the year ahead. Chief Executive John Armitt said: “We want to deliver a better railway for all users and that doesn’t just mean improving train performance and reducing costs, it also means improving the railway environment. “This new initiative underlines our commitment to improve all aspects of the railway.  Network Rail is determined to turn the railway into one of Britain’s great success stories and be something of which everybody can be proud.” Further highlights contained in the company’s Corporate Responsibility Report include: Lineside environment

• £8 million was spent last year on the removal of graffiti,
• Fly-tipping clean ups and weed clearance
• 300 derelict buildings were demolished
• Old, unused rolling stock was removed from sidings and depots
• More than 1,500 road vehicles were replaced with more fuel-efficient models
• Our 149 Sites of Special Scientific Interest were looked after through partnership working with English Nature

Safety

• ‘Safety 365’, a campaign to change the behaviour of employees and contractors was launched
• The number of signals passed at danger (SPADS) was reduced for the seventh successive year to the lowest ever level - 328 in the year 2005/06.  Broken rails were also reduced to a record low of 317, compared with a peak of 952 in 1998/99
• ‘Don’t run the risk’, a major public education campaign about the safe use of level crossings, was launched by Network Rail.  This includes a powerful £3m advertising campaign
• There was a significant drop in the number of incidents of trespass and criminal damage
• The ‘No Messin’! campaign continued to raise awareness among young people of the dangers of trespass and vandalism on the railway, by offering alternative activities, such as music, gaming and sport

Customers

• Ten million more passengers traveled in 2005/6 compared to the previous year
• 7% more freight was carried (an extra two billion tones) over the past year

People

• Westwood, our leadership development centre in Coventry was opened in October 2005
• £20 million was spent improving workspaces
• £30 million was invested in our advanced apprenticeship scheme and £22 million in five new maintenance training centres

John Armitt concluded: “We’re a company that touches the lives of millions of people, from the three million people that use train services every day to the five million people who live beside the railway.  We’re here to deliver a safe, reliable and efficient railway, but this report makes it very clear that we won’t do that at the price of ignoring the impact of what we do on our people, our neighbours and our environment.”