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STRUCTURES

550-plus rail structures go without inspections

Network Rail asset inspection backlog grows amid safety concerns
By Thomas Johnson and Rob Hakimian

Structural inspections for more than 550 Network Rail assets are five years overdue, according to information released following a Freedom of Information request made by NCE.

Network Rail has 70,000 structures to maintain and it must complete the examination process at required intervals for each structure. This can be annually or up at least once every 12 years. Failure to complete the inspections could result in faults going undetected or the late assessment of detected faults, resulting in safety issues.

The inspection backlog is growing. The rail regulator Office of Rail & Road (ORR) recently told NCE that it is “not happy” about this and has been asking for improvements for two years.

As of 30 June this year, 19,985 structures were due to be inspected. Analysis reveals that 578 of these had not been checked since before July 2018.

Many more had not been examined for many years before then.

Of the 578 that had not been inspected for at least the last five years, 74 were to be inspected in July. Another 186 have no planned inspection date. The remaining structures are to be inspected at various dates ranging between now and 2031.

Of the 19,985 structures awaiting examination more than 4,000 have no planned inspection date. For the structures without an inspection date, Network Rail said: “This is where an asset is yet to have a possession date agreed.

“It may, however, be the case that a possession has been applied for but is still pending approval.

“It can also be the case that examinations might need to be replanned due to staff resource and sickness, land access or aborted shifts.”

Network Rail’s worst performing region is North West and Central, where 271 structures have had no inspection for five or more years, accounting for almost half (47%) of the 578 unchecked structures.

The Eastern region, which is divided into two, is another poor performer. The Anglia and East Midlands section has 128 structures which have been overdue an inspection for five years. The East Coast and North section has 96.

In the other regions Scotland has 72, Wales and Western has six and Southern has five structures that have not been inspected for more than five years.

An ORR spokesperson told NCE it is “of paramount importance that Network Rail gets on with the job of clearing the backlog and keeps on top of future inspections. We will be continuing to monitor its progress”.

According to the structures examination backlog seen by NCE, the structure with the oldest registered examination had not been inspected since 24 January 2008. This structure, which could not be identified, is in the North West and Central region.

One 19th century viaduct in Manchester has not been inspected since 10 September 2008. It is the Cornbrook Viaduct in Manchester, a red brick arch and iron truss girder viaduct which originally opened in 1877. It closed in 1969 before being reopened in 1992 to carry the Metrolink light rail system.

In fact, 87 of those in the North West and Central region’s backlog were last examined more than seven years ago, while 17 of these had not been inspected for more than 12 years.

At least 79 structures have never been inspected by Network Rail, which was established in 2002, according to the Freedom of Information response.

Network Rail is required to inspect structures in accordance with published standards under its operating licence. The process involves site examination, report submission and evaluation.

For bigger structures, a Structures Condition Marking Index (SCMI) score is noted. An SCMI score of between 0 and 100 and is used to grade the condition of a structure or how close it is to the end of its life.

Network Rail safety and engineering director Martin Frobisher said the track operator was addressing the backlog. He said: “Since the ORR first raised this matter [of the inspection backlog] in 2021, we have been developing and enacting recovery measures to ensure structures examinations are up to date.

“Between February and April 2023 there has been a 9% improvement in examination non-compliance.

“We recognise there is still work to be done to build on these improvements and we are liaising closely with the ORR to get back on track.”