Network Rail have completed safety renovation works, after dedicating a portion of their spending to enhance the safety precautions at Dove Holes Quarry rail sidings at Peak Forest in Derbyshire. This £600k investment comes as part of Network Rail's Freight Safety Improvement Portfolio (FSIP).
The FSIP is a £20m fund, dedicated to deliver safety improvements across projects within the Control Period 6 (CP6). Improvements from this fund can be seen in the implementation of a safe walking route at Great Heck near Selby, Cliffe in Kent, and Angerstein Wharf at the Port of London.
The Derbyshire project has seen the construction of a new 470 metre safe walking route, with the inclusion of low-level lighting and a new staircase on the embankment.
Oliver Paget, Network Rail’s lead route and freight manager for North West and Central (NW&C), said:
“This project has made great improvements to working conditions for the drivers and shunters at Peak Forest. Previously they were walking on uneven ballast and with over a quarter of a mile between the quarry and the long siding it could be tough going on the shunters’ and drivers’ feet and knees. There was a history of trips, slips, and falls on the site.”
The continued investment into workforce safety will help to ensure stability within the daily operations along specific routes. This creates a positive working environment, whilst minimising unnecessary risks.
Dale Holford, a driver operator for Victa Railfreight, walks an average of 15 miles a day in his job. He said:
“Each train is a quarter of a mile long and my job entails me walking along each side of it, so that’s a lot of time spent on my feet. I lost one and a half stone in the first two months I came to work here.
“The new walking route is amazing; it has made things so much better. Walking on ballast is uncomfortable underfoot and you have to be careful that you don’t turn your ankle. Any improvements like the ones this project is delivering are always welcome.”
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