Network Rail’s Wales and Western region has developed a new type of sleeper which unlocks new environmental benefits.
The region worked with Network Rail’s Technical Authority to create ‘hedgehog’ sleepers – so called because the design looks like hedgehogs nestling under the rail.
The new sleepers contain 90% less carbon than wooden models and 78% less than those made from concrete.
This is a significant development, with Network Rail sustainability research finding that sleepers currently account for 30% of carbon embedded within railway infrastructure.
Nick Matthews, Network Rail’s programme engineering manager, said: “Previously, sleepers were either made from hardwood or concrete. The raw material for wooden sleepers comes from South American rainforests, which can result in damage to habitats, a reduction in biodiversity, and decreased carbon absorption from rainforests.
“Producing concrete can also have a damaging impact on the environment and increased carbon emissions.”
The sleepers are made up of 90% recyclable material and are themselves fully recyclable. The new composite design should also mean that hedgehog sleepers last twice as long as their concrete counterparts, reducing the need to close parts of the railway to install replacements.
With approximately 150,000 sleepers replaced each year, the new design could very quickly start to lower the railway’s carbon footprint while also helping to improve services in the long term.
Image credit: Network Rail
