OFFICIAL OFFICIAL

Railway Sustainability Design Guide

Introduction & User Guide

This document is the property of Network Rail. It shall not be reproduced in whole or part nor disclosed to a third
party without the written permission of Network Rail.
© Copyright 2018 Network Rail.

Uncontrolled copy once printed from its electronic source.

Published and Issued by Network Rail, 2nd Floor, One Eversholt Street, London, NW1 2DN.
 OFFICIAL
OFFICIAL

Disclaimer
In issuing this standard/control document for its stated purpose, Network Rail
Infrastructure Limited makes no warranties, expressed or implied, that compliance
with all or any standards/control documents it issues is sufficient on its own to
provide safety or compliance with legislation. Users are reminded of their own duties
under legislation.
Compliance with a Network Rail standard/control document does not, of itself, confer
immunity from legal obligations.
Where Network Rail Infrastructure Limited has granted permission to copy extracts
from Network Rail standards or control documents, Network Rail Infrastructure
Limited accepts no responsibility for, nor any liability in connection with, the use of
such extracts, or any claims arising there from.

This disclaimer applies to all forms of media in which extracts from Network Rail
standards and control documents might be reproduced.

Supply
Copies of standards/control documents are available electronically, within Network
Rail’s organisation. Hard copies of this document might be available to Network Rail
people on request to the relevant controlled publication distributor. Other
organisations can obtain copies of this standard/control document from an approved
distributor.

Issue record
Issue Date Comments
0.1 June 2021 First release in advance of online edition

Page 2 of 44
 OFFICIAL
OFFICIAL

Contents

1 Purpose ........................................................................................................................ 4
2 Scope ............................................................................................................................ 5
3 Definitions .................................................................................................................... 6
3.1 List of abbreviations ................................................................................................... 7
4 Context, Objectives and Structure ........................................................................... 8
4.1 Introduction................................................................................................................. 8
4.2 Aims and objectives ................................................................................................... 8
4.3 Structure of the Railway Sustainability Design Guide ........................................... 11
5 Sustainable design, implementation and management ..................................... 13
5.1 Definitions of sustainable development and sustainable design ........................... 13
5.2 Principles of Sustainable Design ............................................................................ 14
5.3 Eight-step design process ....................................................................................... 16
Appendix A - Roles and responsibilities.................................................................. 27
Appendix B - Library of case studies ....................................................................... 29
Appendix C - Legislation and policy ......................................................................... 31
Appendix D - PACE process ...................................................................................... 39

Page 3 of 44
 OFFICIAL
OFFICIAL

1 Purpose
The purpose of the Railway Sustainability Design Guide is to support the uptake and
implementation of industry best practice in sustainable design and management
across Network Rail’s estate and associated assets. It is intended to transform Network
Rail’s approach to sustainability by embedding the importance of biodiversity and the
environment alongside safety and performance within planning and decision making
at all scales of the organisation.
It provides guidance on how to address relevant Network Rail standards, policies,
technical advice, templates and proformas and implement them across all project
scales. This will help achieve Network Rail’s ambition to:
• Achieve net zero carbon emissions
• Operate a reliable railway service that is resilient to climate change
• Be recognised as a leader in land management for biodiversity and take account
of impacts on natural capital in all investment planning and delivery
• Respect and protect the natural, cultural and historic landscape of the railway
network
• Minimise waste and embed circular economy into the rail industry
• Involve and collaborate with stakeholders to foster innovation and realise
opportunities to create social value and make a positive contribution.
The structure of the guide is set out below and explained in greater detail in section
4.2 of this document.
Volume 1: Introduction & User Guide
Volume 2: Climate Change
Volume 3: Carbon Reduction
Volume 4: Biodiversity
Volume 5: Landscape & Heritage
Volume 6: Resources
Volume 7: Stakeholder Engagement

Please note: Due to the way that it is intended to publish these guidance notes, the
numbering of volumes may vary for final, published guidance. Every effort will be
made to retain valid cross references for readers.

Page 4 of 44
 OFFICIAL
OFFICIAL

2 Scope
This Introduction volume is split into two main parts.
The first part sets out the aims, objectives and structure of the Railway Sustainability
Design Guide. The second part defines what is meant by sustainable design,
implementation and management, sets out a number of guiding principles for achieving
sustainability in the design and operation of the railway and outlines the key steps in
the approach to delivering sustainable design.
The Introduction volume is supplemented by a number of appendices:

Appendix A - Roles and Presents the likely users of the Railway Sustainability
responsibilities Design Guide and catagorised them into user groups
to explain how the guide can support their work.
Appendix B: Library of A record of all the case studies that are presented
case studies across the Railway Sustainability Design Guide, to help
users quickly navigate to appropriate case studies to
their context.
Appendix C: Legislation Sets out the key national legislation, external and
and policy internal policies and strategies which relate to the field
of sustainable design.
Appendix D: PACE Illustrates the relationship between the Railway
process Sustainability Design Guide and the PACE phases to
demonstrate how this guide can be applied at each
phase.

Page 5 of 44
 OFFICIAL
OFFICIAL

3 Definitions
Term Definition
Biodiversity The variety and variability among all
forms of life, including terrestrial,
marine, and other aquatic ecosystems
and the ecological complexes of which
they are part.
Biodiversity Net Gain An approach to development that leaves
biodiversity in a better state than before.
Where a development has an impact on
biodiversity, it encourages developers to
provide an increase in appropriate
natural habitat and ecological features
over and above that being affected.
Ecosystem Services The benefits provided by ecosystems
that contribute to making human life
both possible and worth living.
Examples of ecosystem benefits include
food and water, regulation of floods, soil
erosion and disease outbreaks; and
non-material benefits such as
recreational and spiritual in natural
areas.
Environmental Net Gain The approach is built on Biodiversity Net
Gain but seeks to reduce pressures on
the environment and achieve overall
improvements in natural capital,
ecosystem services and the benefits
they deliver.
Natural Capital Stocks of natural elements that have
value to society - such as forests,
fisheries, rivers, biodiversity, soils,
minerals, the air and oceans, and
natural processes and functions. Natural
capital includes both the living and non-
living aspects of ecosystems. Stocks of
natural capital provide flows of
ecosystem services. These services,
often in combination with other forms of
capital (social, human and produced),
produce a wide range of benefits.
Net Zero Refers to the balance between the
amount of greenhouse gas produced
and the amount removed from the
atmosphere. Net zero is reached when
the amount added is no more than the
amount taken away.

Page 6 of 44
 OFFICIAL
OFFICIAL

No Net Loss No net loss is a goal for a development

project, policy, plan or activity in which
the impacts on biodiversity are balanced
or outweighed by measures taken to
avoid and minimise those impacts, to
restore affected areas, and finally to
offset the residual impacts so that there
is no loss.
Project Acceleration in a Controlled The incoming framework for managing
Environment (PACE) project lifecycles that replaces GRIP.

3.1 List of abbreviations

Term Definition
BNG Biodiversity Net Gain
CCC Committee on Climate Change
ENG Environmental Net Gain
ESA Environmental & Social Appraisal
ESMP Environmental & Social Management
Plan
GHG Greenhouse Gas
KPI Key Performance Indicator
NIC National Infrastructure Commission
PACE Project Acceleration in a Controlled
Environment
RAM Route Asset Manager

Page 7 of 44
 OFFICIAL
OFFICIAL

4 Context, Objectives and Structure

4.1 Introduction
The UK recognises the significant threat that biodiversity loss and climate change pose
to the economy and societal wellbeing. It was the first major economy to commit to
bringing all greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to net zero by 2050i and to embedding
a principle of environmental net gain into infrastructureii and the Environment Bill
mandates a requirement for net gains for biodiversity.

As the owner of over 52,000 hectares of land and the developer and operator of major
infrastructure, Network Rail recognises the important contribution it can make to
reducing greenhouse gas emissions, facilitating adaptation to climate change and
protecting and enhancing natural capital and biodiversity. This is reflected in the
company’s ambitious Environmental Sustainability Strategy which include amongst its
key objectives:

• Achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050 (and 2045 in Scotland)

• Prepare the railway infrastructure to minimise climate change impacts
• Achieve no net loss of biodiversity across the network by 2024 and net gain by
2035iii

4.2 Aims and objectives

The aim of this guide is to bring sustainability considerations to the centre of decisions
on strategy, design, management, operations and maintenance. It provides practical
guidance on how to apply the requirements set out in Level 2 standards relating to
environment and sustainability. Figure 1 illustrates how the guide relates to wider
Network Rail policies, strategies and standards.

Figure 1: Network Rail’s document hierarchy

Page 8 of 44
 OFFICIAL
OFFICIAL

This guidance reflects the need to:

• Treat the environment as an asset that is capable of delivering a wide range of
benefits and services (‘ecosystem services’) in line with the findings and
recommendations of the independent review of Network Rail’s Vegetation
Management (the Varley Review).
• Reduce GHG emissions and contribute to air quality improvements in line with
Government targets.
• Enhance the resilience of the network to the effects of a changing climate,
including its ability to withstand the impacts of weather events that are likely to
become more frequent and more intense (see Case Study 1).
• Minimise the amount of waste produced and manage unavoidable waste better,
including through more widespread adoption of circular economy thinking.
• Engage meaningfully with all relevant stakeholders, including passengers and
the public, to help innovate in the delivery of sustainability improvements and in
so doing create lasting social value.

CASE STUDY 1: Dawlish coastline damage, February 2014

Cornwall and Devon were struck by severe coastal storms which led to widespread flooding and storm
damage. High sea levels and very strong winds resulted in sea walls being breached and a stretch of
the coastal railway collapsing into the sea.
The London-Penzance route is the main railway line that connects the south west peninsula to London
and hugs the coastline between Dawlish and Teignmouth. The incident caused eight weeks of
disruption to the line, cost approximately £35million to re-establish the rail link, and required
improvements to the resilience of a temporary sea wall at Dawlish. Planning permission has been
granted f or the development of a new sea wall to protect the railway f or the next century, taking into
consideration sea level rises as a result of climate change.

Figure 2: Dawlish coastline damage

Page 9 of 44
 OFFICIAL
OFFICIAL

The Railway Sustainability Design Guide provides a method which can be applied
across all scales of operations and projects that gives users the resources and
knowledge to improve the environmental performance of the railway, deliver more
sustainable outcomes and raise the standard of sustainable design delivered across
the network. Appendix A sets out how the guide applies to target users and their work
and responsibilities; it will be an important point of reference when reviewing section
5.2 of this document.

Page 10 of 44
 OFFICIAL
OFFICIAL

4.3 Structure of the Railway Sustainability Design Guide

This section provides an overview of the structure and content of the Railway Sustainability Design Guide, which is divided into seven
volumes – this Introduction (Volume 1) and six technical volumes. These volumes have been developed in line with the CEEQUAL
Manual 6iv, which is a world-leading sustainability rating scheme for infrastructure projects. The content of the volumes has also been
shaped through extensive engagement with Network Rail’s five regions to understand their key aspects that need to be considered
in relation to sustainable land management.

VOLUME 2 VOLUME 3 VOLUME 4

Climate Carbon Biodiversity
Change Reduction

Volume 2 provides guidance on how to assess the impact of extreme Volume 3 supports efforts to develop and implement carbon reduction Volume 4 presents guidance on how to assess and attribute values to
weather and climate change on the operational railway. It sets out an strategies. It provides guidance, advice and case study examples on biodiversity within the lineside estate. It provides aids, templates and
approach to address key aspects of climate change and weather how the asset owners, designers, maintainers and contractors should proformas that help with formulating preferred habitat management
resilience through sustainable design including flood risk, erosion, collaborate to apply the carbon tools and techniques in compliance objectives, selecting appropriate interventions and measuring
droughts, and storms. with Network Rail requirements and standards. Network Rail biodiversity net gain (BNG). It provides detailed guidance on the
recognises its important role in supporting the Government’s design, implementation and establishment of new habitat, and on the
According to the Committee on Climate Change, 650km of railway commitment to achieve net zero emissions across every mode of long-term management and restoration of existing habitat.
lines and 94 railways stations across the UK will be exposed to major transport by 2050. As acknowledged in the Environmental
coastal flooding and erosion by 2080.v Sustainable design and Sustainability Strategyvi , Network Rail understands the opportunity As one of the largest landowners in the UK, Network Rail has an
management techniques can mitigate the impacts of increased rainfall that land and assets provide in terms of renewable energy generation important role in the UK’s ambition to protect and enhance
and run-off from adjacent land through measures such as increasing and electrification of the network. There is also a significant biodiversity. Successful management of habitats will contribute to
existing drainage capacity, earthworks, and planting that slows the opportunity to offset residual emissions through measures to protect safe and efficient rail operation and increase the natural capital value
flow of water. and enhance the carbon storage capacity of land – for example, of the lineside and estate, with the objectives of no net loss by 2024
through tree planting. and of net gain by 2035.

Page 11 of 44
 OFFICIAL
OFFICIAL

VOLUME 5 VOLUME 6 VOLUME 7

Landscape Resources Stakeholder
& Heritage Engagement

Volume 5 includes guidance on how to assess and evaluate existing Volume 6 provides guidance on waste management and the circular Volume 7 specifies how stakeholder engagement sho uld be
landscape and use the findings to develop and enhance the lineside. economy, sustainable water management, contaminated land, approached and delivered. It includes advice for monitoring
A landscape-led approach to infrastructure design recognises and pollution, products and materials, agriculture, and soils. Assessing stakeholder responses, engaging with statutory consultees, and
reinforces the relationships between people, place and the natural products and materials and classifying waste as a resource is critical liaising with neighbours; and how this should fit into wider work by
world. This volume also provides guidance on how to define a design to sustainable management. On average, Network Rail generates Network Rail Communications. It includes relevant examples of best
vision and principles which respond to local landscape character. more than 2 million tonnes of waste per annum which also has practice from across the Network Rail regions.
significant financial implications vii .
It also considers maintenance of heritage assets in the landscape, Stakeholders play a critical role in influencing, consenting and helping
recognising the importance of their setting and potential for Guidance on applying circular economy principles and the waste to deliver sustainable design for assets and maintenance of the
enhancement. Consideration of landscape and heritage can hierarchy will support decision-making and compliance with the lineside network. By undertaking best practice engagement, Network
encourage positive integration of structures and the promotion and Environmental Sustainability Strategy. It will also deliver savings by Rail can become a better neighbour and deliver social value.
celebration of views, cultural assets and history which can all support reducing waste and carbon though better design, construction,
the local economy. operation and maintenance, while stimulating local economies.

Page 12 of 44
 OFFICIAL
OFFICIAL

5 Sustainable design, implementation and management

5.1 Definitions of sustainable development and sustainable design

Given the wide-ranging interpretations of sustainability, it is important to present a clear
definition of what is meant by ‘sustainable design’ in the context of Network Rail and
its assets. Sustainable design is based on the core principles of sustainable
development, which was defined in the World Commission on Environment &
Development’s 1987 Brundtland report as:
“Development that meets the needs of the present without comprising the ability of
future generations to meet their own needs” viii
This definition acknowledges that development relies on environmental resources, and
that exploitation or mismanagement of these resources will have a detrimental effect
on the future health and development of society. As such sustainable design goes
beyond efforts to minimise negative impacts on the environment. It should also provide
social value, supports economic growth and delivers a rail network that protects and
enhances the environment for the benefit of present and future generations.
In December 2019 Network Rail and its five regions set up a project to define
sustainable land management in the context of Network Rail’s estate and operations
and to develop a unified ambition for a new sustainable management approach to the
estate. The resulting vision is shown in Figure 3.

Figure 3: Network Rail’s Sustainable Land Management Vision

Page 13 of 44
 OFFICIAL
OFFICIAL

With this in mind, a key aim of sustainable design is to treat the land that Network Rail
owns and manages as a range of natural assets (natural capital) that delivers a range
of services and benefits (ecosystem services) on which society and the economy
depends. Railway infrastructure both impacts and depends on this natural capital and
sustainable design presents an opportunity to use infrastructure solutions to achieve
environmental net gain, leaving biodiversity and the environment, (including soils,
water and air) in a measurably better state than before.
Good design is also based on the understanding of how things function, look, and
provide services. It is important to acknowledge that sustainable design is not just
about new infrastructure, it is also about the optimisation and rehabilitation of existing
infrastructure to make it resilient to climate change, increase energy efficiency,
minimise waste and materials, and remediate damaged soils and wasteix. Sustainable
design means developing solutions that deliver best value when measured over the
whole life of infrastructure. This requires that sustainability principles are embedded at
every step of planning and delivery from optioneering and strategic masterplanning
down to the detailed design and specification of maintainence and operarional works.
It also means looking beyond the railway corridor to identify the wider opportunities, for
example to enhance natural capital and ecosystem services to deliver net gain.

5.2 Principles of Sustainable Design

Network Rail has adopted the National Infrastructure Commission’s four guiding
principles for infrastructure design.

Figure 4: The design principles for national infrastructurex

Page 14 of 44
 OFFICIAL
OFFICIAL

To deliver against these four principles, the NIC recommends that all projects should:
1. Appreciate the wider context;
2. Engage meaningfully; and
3. Continually measure and improve.
These principles emphasise the importance of bringing together the necessary
technical expertise in order to develop infrastructure that offers best value, and works
for people, climate and places. Good design is not just the responsibility of designers
but should be integral to all aspects of Network Rail delivery including engineering,
management, maintenance, environmental workstreams and stakeholders.
Landscapes connect people, place and nature, and are often among the highest
concerns of the public and stakeholders in infrastructure projects. The rail network is
intrinsically linked to the character of the landscape it passes through, and is often
celebrated for its architecture, engineering, and cultural heritage, as well as its
contribution to nature networks and sense of place.
In order for these principles to be integrated at the earliest possible stage in a design
– whether it is of a regional or route asset strategy, a project or a maintenance
programme – users may find it helpful to develop a design vision that considers these
broader landscape opportunities. The vision should embrace all the principles of
sustainable design while accounting for the particular context in which the project or
programme is being developed and in so doing will provide the framework within which
to set objectives, explore key constraints and opportunities and monitor and measure
progress. Ultimately, the design vision should guide a process that results in the
delivery of multifunctional design solutions that contribute to the enhancement of
natural capital and support the delivery of environmental net gain.

Page 15 of 44
 OFFICIAL
OFFICIAL

5.3 Eight-step design process

This section describes eight key steps in the
sustainable design approach and the role of
user groups across the process, as well as
setting out where these apply across the
PACE phases and the management of the
railway and existing Network Rail estate.
(See Appendix A to understand the roles
related to the user groups in Figure 5 and
the purpose of this guide for those groups;
see Appendix D to understand how Figure
5 relates to the PACE phases.)

This approach does not have to be

prescriptive, rather, it is intended as a
framework through which sustainable
design principles can be applied on a
project-by-project basis. It is also important
to note that sustainable design is as much
about process as it is about product. The
principles of sustainable design should be
clearly reflected within each step of
planning and delivery while ongoing
monitoring and evaluation should support a
process of adaptive management and
continual improvement (illustrated by the
dashed arrow in Figure 5) by providing
valuable insights to inform future decision
around the management of lineside and the Figure 5: Applying the Railway Sustainability Design Guide
estate.

Page 16 of 44
 OFFICIAL
OFFICIAL

STEP 1: Familiarise yourself with the guide’s volumes and principles

This step is primarily about understanding the fundamental principles of sustainable

design and how to apply the guidance in practice, which is addressed through this
Introduction volume. Users should take time to study the process in Figure 5 and
recognise that they may need to focus on some areas of the guide more than others,
depending on the nature of their role and context of their work. By applying the
principles and practices set out in this Railway Sustainability Design Guide’s in day -to-
day activities, users across the organisation will be adopting a consistent approach to
land management that will support Network Rail in achieving its environmental
sustainability ambitions.

STEP 2: Use of ESA tool to identify environmental and social priorities

The undertaking of this step will help identify the Railway Sustainability Design Guide’s
volumes which are most pertinent for each user’s context. The ESA tool (specified in
NR/L2/ENV 015) is essential to support projects with compliance, performance and
safety measures, and for the consideration of social and environmental issues. Case
Study 2 provides an example of the risks to projects that do not complete an ESA.

The tool provides enablers, templates, tools and assessments to meet strategic
objectives. Project-development users must make sure this step is completed. The tool
is supported by a user guide which helps to prioritise environmental and social issues
using a red, amber, green (RAG) scoring system. The tool outputs a list of actions that
will help track opportunities, risk, assessments, objectives, and monitoring. Those
working through the PACE process should follow each step of the ESA tool thoroughly .

The ESA checklist can be completed to different levels of detail – for example, for
operations the tool can be used as a guide to indicate what sustainability priorities
should be considered. Once the RAG scoring has been completed, the action list
should be reviewed to evaluate which actions are appropriate for the scale of project.

The Railway Sustainability Design Guide can help interpret ESA tool results to:

• Identify opportunities to deliver multiple benefits and to consider the potential

trade-offs between different aspects – for example, enhancing biodiversity and
public amenity
• Defining additional surveys and actions to mitigate or avoid an impact highlighted
within the ESA
• Providing information on design responses and management approaches to
achieve maximum benefit from the ESA-prescribed actions

Page 17 of 44
 OFFICIAL
OFFICIAL

Note: STEP 2 has two key resources:

1) The ESA tool (https://safety.networkrail.co.uk/home-2/environment-and-sustainable-
development/esd-tools-templates/)
2) The ESMP template (https://safety.networkrail.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/ESMP-FINAL-
FOR-ISSUE.docx)

CASE STUDY 2: Leeds Armley – consequences of not using the ESA tool

In 2019, Network Rail planned tree felling at a 0.3 hectare site in an urban area where
residents have limited access to greenspace. No ESA was undertaken for what was
considered a routine maintenance operation. However, once work to remove the trees
began, local residents raised concerns and requested more information on why the
habitat was being removed. This resulted in the involvement of local politicians,
negative publicity, unexpected public relations costs, and an 18-month delay as
Network Rail undertook ecological surveys and rebuilt relationships with the local
community. Use of the ESA tool would have highlighted the need for ecological surveys
and engagement with local residents which would have helped to deliver a more
acceptable solution for all concerned.

Figure 6: Local residents at the Leeds Armley site

Page 18 of 44
 OFFICIAL
OFFICIAL

STEP 3: Environmental & Social Assessment

This step is intended to help users develop a more detailed understanding of the
environmental and social context of the project or site – whether it is for a regional
approach to land management or for an 1/8 of a mile lineside maintenance intervention.
Step 3 explains how the priorities identified in Step 2 can be resolved in compliance
with Network Rail standards. Step 3 assists in:

• Identifying the standards that must be met and the resources needed to assess
the site’s baseline conditions, such as survey templates
• Understanding the specific data to be collected, the spatial and temporal scale,
and where the data can be sourced (each of the guide’s six other volumes provides
templates and proformas to help present this data, and guidance on how it should
be interpreted)
• Guiding on-site users through the process of collecting and analysing
environmental and social baseline information in developing an accessible
resource that aids understanding of the environmental and social context of the
site or project.
• Establishing a vision for sustainable design reflecting the environmental and social
context of the intervention, project or programme being developed
This step is critical in terms of stakeholder engagement because it provides an audit
trail to help demonstrate why sustainable design decisions have been made, and it
demonstrates compliance with NR/L2/ENV/015.
Collecting detailed baseline data is important to inform the development of natural
capital accounts which is one of the commitments of the Environmental Sustainability
Strategy. Network Rail is considering how a natural capital approach can be utilised
within the context of the Railway Sustainability Design Guide. A natural capital
approach would enable analysis of the different impacts that design and management
decisions can have on environmental assets and their ecosystem services. By bringing
together environmental, social and economic evidence for a particular region, route or
site, a natural capital approach would help quantify the impacts and dependencies on
decisions will have in relation to the Railway Sustainability Design Guide’s different
volumes.
Case Study 3 (below) illustrates how ecology surveys and stakeholder engagement
could have helped mitigate the impacts of vegetation management on local residents.
In this example, guidance from Volumes 4 (Biodiversity), 5 (Landscape & Heritage)
and 7 (Stakeholder Engagement) would have been beneficial.

Page 19 of 44
 OFFICIAL
OFFICIAL

CASE STUDY 3: Hadley Wood – tree felling

In February 2018, vegetation management work was undertaken at Hadley

Wood station, which lies in a cutting on the East Coast Mainline north of
London. Despite protests from the local residents association, a large section
of vegetation was cleared to the boundary fence, which was 60 metres from
the track. This prompted complaints about excessive clearance, ecological
impact and the risk to slope stability. Following site visits with local residents it
became clear that the felling was too extensive. This incident could have been
avoided by rigorous data collection and consulting neighbours to get a better
understanding of the site’s context. A more targeted thinning would have
enhanced biodiversity while retaining a visual screen that was highly valued by
residents.

Figure 7: Vegetation management at Hadley Wood

Page 20 of 44
 OFFICIAL
OFFICIAL

STEP 4 – Setting sustainability objectives

This step is intended to build upon the design vision

established in Step 3 and set out sustainability objectives
that can contribute to achieving it. Figure 8 identifies a
hierarchy of key documents that provide key performance
indicators (KPIs) and objectives at different scales. It is
recommended that users review each of these documents
to guide the development of project-specific objectives to
be included in, for example, an ESMP.

The Railway Sustainability Design Guide should be used

to integrate sustainable design principles (see Section
5.1) into design and management. Ensuring these
principles are considered should lead to the
establishment of project-specific objectives that reflect
strategic Network Rail objectives and KPIs set throughout
the documents in Figure 8 as well as national policy and
regulation.

The guide will also help users to understand how, through

maintenance and operations interventions, they can
contribute to Network Rail priorities, strategic and regional
KPIs, and internal policies and standards.

Step 4 has different implications for each of the following

user groups:

• Strategic: understand current KPIs to guide the

development of new KPIs. Figure 8: Network Rail sources
• Project Development: use Steps 2 and 3 to of sustainability objectives
establish which environmental and social topics
need to be prioritised and a design vision, to help
develop the most appropriate objectives for the scope of work – as depicted in
Figure 8.
• Project Delivery: the volumes each provide technical guidance on setting
objectives; this will aid the delivery of toolbox talks and work plans that ensure on-
site teams are aware of sustainability objectives and their implications.
Note: Further details on the roles related to each user group can be found in Appendix A

Page 21 of 44
 OFFICIAL
OFFICIAL

Figure 9: Process of identifying and prioritising environmental and social topics

It is important that sustainability objectives are set out as early as possible so they can
influence how work is prepared and undertaken. Figure 10 provides example
objectives to show the range of objectives that may be considered for projects,
programmes and procurement documents.

Figure 10: Example sustainability objectives from recent ESMPs

Page 22 of 44
 OFFICIAL
OFFICIAL

STEP 5 – Develop the approach

The aim of this step is to develop design options in line with the guidance set out in the
Railway Sustainability Design Guide’s volumes, this will support users to develop
specifications that are in line with relevant standards.

Each volume will offer instructions on what good design looks like, including key design
considerations, how to develop an approach to deliver these considerations, and
where further advice and guidance is available.

When potential conflicts between different sustainability objectives become apparent,

risk reviews and workshops can be used to agree trade-offs and refine objectives. This
process will help to refine design options into the development of a preferred option.

A natural capital assessment may be helpful in developing a more complete

understanding of how the proposed project or programme may contribute to wider
societal aims and of any trade-offs that affect the quality of quantity of environmental
assets and the benefits they deliver. Importantly, it will help identify where mitigating
actions may be required and where there may be opportunities to achieve BNG and
wider environmental benefits, including opportunities to work with nature to enhance
carbon storage and sequestration or reduce the risk of flooding.

Step 5 is important for the following user groups:

• Strategic: identify key individuals within the organisation and external experts that
can shape the delivery of objectives set in Step 4 – for example, the Volume 4
(Biodiversity) can be used to understand who to engage in order to deliver BNG at
a regional level.
• Project Development: provide practical solutions and actions to deliver against
the standards set out in the relevant Level 2 documents.
• Communication: develop communication approaches for different scales of work;
also provide guidance to develop and deliver an appropriate stakeholder
engagement management plan.

In Figure 5, the dashed box covering Steps 6 and 7 represents a feedback loop. This
highlights the need to review plans to shape the final design or maintenance approach. It
may be that new information has come to light during delivery which may require the
management plan to be amended. ESMPs should be updated every six months to monitor
progress. The delivery stage may be a two-year or longer process, so it is important to
assess, evaluate and refine the approach throughout project delivery to meet objectives
set out in Step 4.

Page 23 of 44
 OFFICIAL
OFFICIAL

STEP 6: Review and evaluate approach

Once a preferred option is identified, Step 6 focuses on reviewing the scope against
the best practice presented in this guide. Use the case studies to understand best
practice and how it may be applied to achieve solutions that meet your sustainability
objectives.

Good design and sustainability strategies are developed with cross-discipline input, so
use this expertise to refine and enhance plans, to gather information on how to
minimise trade-offs, and to maximise co-benefits across the topics presented in each
of the guide’s volumes.

Where a user’s project involves works to a station, this is an opportunity to review the
preferred design option to ensure it is in line with the guidance in NR/GN/CIV/100/04
Sustainable Design for Stations.

This is a fine-tuning stage, providing the opportunity to reflect on whether the chosen
measures are the best for achieving the sustainability objectives. The guide provides:

• Management principles critical to the delivery of each volume subject.

• Guidance on management and maintenance decisions that will deliver the
preferred design option and the sustainability objectives set out in Step 4.
• Guidance and support to develop an approach that will achieve strategic objectives
– for example, BNG objectives can be supported by following guidance in the
Biodiversity volume and considering the referenced Level 2 documents.

When reviewing and evaluating, the main sustainable design considerations should be
integrated into a delivery plan (this could be in relation to an asset plan, project design,
intervention work plan, or habitat management plan).

STEP 7: Delivery

This step focuses on applying the methods that have been developed throughout this
step-by-step process. The guide’s volumes support delivery, including:

• How to select and prepare sites.

• Developing activities, such as audits and inspections, to monitor compliance with
environmental and social objectives through the delivery phase.
• Selecting appropriate contractors.
• Detailing an appropriate level of technical oversight and a scope-of-works
timeline.
• How and when to engage stakeholders in order to develop strong and
transparent relationships.

Page 24 of 44
 OFFICIAL
OFFICIAL

Use the case studies to develop a sustainability approach that considers all the key
topics and their interrelationships (Case Study 5 illustrates this).

CASE STUDY 5: Leeds Armley – noise reduction

Contractors turned up on site with petrol-powered chainsaws which are noisy. Following
a scheduled bi-weekly site check, it was highlighted that, given the urban setting and
proximity to residents, it would be more appropriate to use battery-powered chainsaws.
The contractor agreed to use battery-powered saws, resulting in a reduction in noise
pollution and improved relationships with residents.

STEP 8: Monitoring and Evaluation

As per L2/ENV/015, the ESMP should be used to comply with key environmental and
social controls. The designer / contractor should develop a checklist to guide
inspections and audits, and organise a schedule of inspections. Essential to this is
monitoring progress against priorities identified in Step 2 and the project specific
objectives developed in Step 4. This guide can be used to support the design of an
effective monitoring and evaluation programme. Figure 11 shows an example of a
monitoring plan for habitat establishment, presented in Volume 04 (Biodiversity).

Figure 11: Monitoring and evaluation timeline to achieve your preferred habitat
option

Page 25 of 44
 OFFICIAL
OFFICIAL

Stakeholder Engagement

Stakeholder and community engagement is a critical part of sustainable design, and

provides an opportunity to enhance social value and reduce complaints. As set out in
Figure 5, this activity should feature strongly across Steps 3 to 8.

Good and meaningful stakeholder engagement is a critical tool to: gain permits,
consent and licensing; address stakeholder concerns through design and construction;
and reduce the risk of your programme being delayed.

This guide recognises that successful sustainable design requires meaningful

engagement with communities and stakeholders to identify opportunities for achieving
biodiversity and environmental net gain and increase maximising social value across
the network. Volume 07 (Stakeholder Engagement) advises when and how to engage
with different stakeholder groups including local communities, special interest groups
and other interested and affected parties.

Page 26 of 44
 OFFICIAL
OFFICIAL

Appendix A - Roles and responsibilities

Table 1 presents the likely users of the guide and its relevance to their roles.

Table 1: User groups and the purpose of the guide

User group Role Purpose of the Railway Sustainability Design Guide
Executive • Provides an overview of best practice within Network Rail and from other countries and related sectors ; once a
Leadership Team year, users should familiarise themselves with updates in terms of best practice design and management guidance
• Informs key stakeholders and tracks progress towards the achievement of key sustainability-related objectives; it
is critical that these users endorse the guide to ensure it is integrated across workstreams
Chief • Provides an overview of all sustainable design and management practices covered under their remit; also
Environment and supports tracking progress towards achieving key sustainability-related objectives
Strategic Sustainability
Of f icer • It will be important to endorse the guide and ensure its visibility across the organisation so it plays a central role in
raising design standards
Route Leadership • Provides an overview of sustainable design and management practices across Network Rail
Teams
• It will be important to endorse the guide and ensure its visibility across the organisation so it plays a central role in
raising design standards
Sponsors and • Consider the guide throughout the programme to ensure that sustainability concerns are integral, considered
Project Managers before each programme phase, and support the development of a sustainable construction strategy
• Use lessons learned from case studies and best practice guidance
Project • Take into account in the preparation of tender documents and construction programmes
development
Planners and • Use the guide at the pre-planning application stage, to help integrate sustainable design and management
Designers principles, and to support a detailed understanding of the benefits of sustainable design
Planners • Supports the Consents team and asset managers.
(Consents)

Page 27 of 44
 OFFICIAL
OFFICIAL

User group Role Purpose of the Railway Sustainability Design Guide

• Planners should consider effect programme to ensure the sustainable design and management principles do not
result in any delays
Route Engineers • Integrate sustainable design and management principles into design and in line with programme
Environment • Refer to the guide during programme development to promote and support the delivery of the sustainable design
Managers and management principles through project lifecycle, and to ensure policy compliance
• Guide the sustainable management of existing assets through maintenance and operations projects
Asset Engineers • Consult the guide when considering the specifications of works at a site level; users should be aware of which
and Geotechnical volume to access during different project delivery stages
Engineers
• It provides guidance on how to improve management existing assets to deliver sustainable design benefits
through the existing network
• Helps users to understand which specialists in the organisation they need to engage with and when to engage
with them so they can be aware of the implications of their actions
Project delivery Environment • Identifies best practice approaches for supporting maintenance and sustainable management of existing assets
Specialists
• Informs the development of suitable approaches to implementing sustainable design at all scales – site, section,
route, regional or national – to ensure that objectives set out through planning and design can be realised through
implementation
Consultants • Consult the guide to understand Network Rail’s processes, priorities and examples of best practice which should
be reflected in project design and delivery
Communications • Refer to the guide when engaging with external stakeholders about Network Rail’s approach to planning and
and Public implementation at all scales of work, including regional, route, project, site and maintenance interventions
Relations
Communication
External • Helps external stakeholders understand Network Rail’s approach to sustainable design, land management and
Stakeholders routine operations decisions; users will be able to hold Network Rail accountable to the principles of this document
On-site Users • Use the guide to understand the principles and objectives that Network Rail’s projects need to achieve, and how
On-site they can be delivered on site and through ongoing management of the lineside

Page 28 of 44
 OFFICIAL
OFFICIAL

Appendix B - Library of case studies

This section provides a summary of the case studies that can be found across the Railway Sustainability Design Guide volumes. It
shows where to find them and identifies each case study’s key features to help users navigate to the most appropriate examples of
best practice. The full library of case studies can be found by accessing the first tab through this link.

Volume Carbon Climate Landscape Stakeholder

Case Study Region Scale Biodiversity Resources Key features
(page) Reduction Change & Heritage Engagement

Impacts of
Dawlish Coastline Wales and Volume 1
N/A extreme
Damage Western (p11)
weather
Leeds Armley - the
Volume 1 Maintenance Number of
impacts of a missing Eastern Bad practice
(p23) (0.3ha) complaints
ESA tool

Hadley Wood - tree Volume 1 Number of

Southern Maintenance Monitoring
felling (p24) complaints

Leeds Armley - noise Volume 1 Maintenance Being a good

Eastern Monitoring
reduction (p28) (0.3ha) neighbour
Consideration
Wales and Volume 4 Maintenance of landscape
Avon Gorge SSSI, Bristol Woodland Monitoring
Western (p40) (11 ha) and scenic
views
Contaminated
Bermondsey Dive- Volume 4 Biodiversity
Southern Lineside (1ha) land
Under, London (p43) net gain
management

Heathland
Cairngorms National Volume 4 Site specific Being a good
Scotland and shrub Monitoring
Park (p47) (2ha) neighbour
restoration

Page 29 of 44
 OFFICIAL
OFFICIAL

Contribution
Freckland Wood, Volume 4 Site specific Biodiversity
Eastern to local Monitoring
Nottinghamshire (p50) (20ha) net gain
population
Volume 4,
Woodland
Belvoir Park Forest, Site specific Invasive
N/A Design & Woodland
Belfast (75ha) Species
Management
Guide (p55)
Volume 4,
Woodland
Hating Down, West Design
N/A Design & Site specific Woodland
Sussex collaboration
Management
Guide (p57)
Volume 4,
Woodland Landscape
Ardtornish N/A Design & scale Woodland ESA
Management (14,000ha)
Guide (p62)

Page 30 of 44
 OFFICIAL
OFFICIAL

Appendix C - Legislation and policy

C.1 National Rail Policy

The guide will help to achieve compliance with the key legislation, policies and strategies shown in the table below. Recognising the
wider context for decisions and actions puts Network Rail in a better position to manage its estate in a way that satisfies legal
requirements, contributes to wider policy objectives, and, ultimately, benefits Network Rail and the communities it serves.

Current Legislation
Town & Country Planning Regulates the development of land in England and Wales, and provides a f ramework f or local authorities to take a development plan-
Act 1990xi based approach; covers legislation for the provision of ‘statutory undertakings’, including railway and light railway development schemes.
(England and Wales)

Town & Country Planning Guides f uture development and land use in Scotland for the long-term interest of the Scottish public; identifies four key development
Act 2006xii objectives:
(Scotland) • Support sustainable, well-designed places;
• Reduce carbon emissions and adapt to climate change;
• Protect and enhance natural and cultural assets; and
• Support better transport.

The Environment Bill Sets out legally binding targets to tackle air pollution, waste, biodiversity loss and water resource protection; seen as a key mechanism
(Draf t)xiii f or delivering the objectives of the government’s 25 Year Plan for the Environment, it sets out a framework for environmental governance;
central elements include mandatory biodiversity net gain for new developments, local nature recovery strategies, and encouraging circular
(England)
economies.

Climate Change Act 2008 Sets out a f ramework f or the UK to achieve its long-term goals of reducing greenhouse gas emissions and to implement steps that are
xiv
necessary to adapt to the impacts of climate change.
(UK)

Environment Act 2016xv Aims to deliver sustainable management of Wales’ natural resources; includes emissions targets and carbon budgets up to 2050.
(Wales)

Page 31 of 44
 OFFICIAL
OFFICIAL

Climate Change Act This Act updates the Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009 to set targets to reduce Scotland’s emissions of all GHG to net-zero by 2045.
2019xvi The Act embeds the principles of a ‘Just Transition’ in order to maximise opportunities f rom meeting emission reduction targets, whilst
mitigating the social and economic risks that may be associated with these targets.
(Scotland)

Plans, Policies and Strategies

25 Year Environment Sets out Government’s ambitions to protect and enhance the environment (to be enacted through the Environment Bill 2019–20); sets
Planxvii goals for the way land is managed in England, including targets for:
(England) • Creating better habitats for wildlife;
• Improving air and water quality, and reducing pollution;
• Protecting and growing natural capital;
• Establishing the principle of environmental net gain for infrastructure development; and
• Creating networks of wildlife habitats across the landscape to form a green infrastructure that helps plants and animals to move and
recover from disturbance, and to respond to climate change.

National Planning Policy Sets out the government’s planning policies for England and how they should be applied; including the following strategic objectives:
Framework xviii
• Sufficient provision of transport infrastructure
(England) • Conservation and enhancement of the natural environment
• Planning measures to address climate change through mitigation and adaptation

National Planning Sets out the long-term vision f or development and inf rastructure investment f or 30 years f rom 2014 onwards. The f ramework brings
Framework 3xix together Scotland’s plans and strategies in economic development, regeneration, energy, environment, climate change, transport and
digital infrastructure to provide a vision for the country’s growth. The f ramework sets out a vision based on four key characteristics:
(Scotland)
• A successful, sustainable place: to ensure the opportunities of a low carbon economy are fairly distributed across communities
• A low carbon place: to become a world leader in low carbon energy generation and develop a more energy efficient built
environment including the decarbonisation of transport
• A natural, resilient place: respect and improve natural and cultural assets and ensure the environment and infrastructure is resilient
to the impacts of climate change
• A connected place: improve internal transport links, including the electrification and development of key rail routes.

Page 32 of 44
 OFFICIAL
OFFICIAL

Future Wales – The This document is the national development framework for Wales, which sets out a strategy to address the key national priorities through
National Plan 2040xx the country’s planning system. The spatial plan is focused on sustaining and developing a vibrant economy, achieving decarbonisation
and climate resilience, developing strong ecosystems and improving health and wellbeing of communities. The plan notes the importance
(Wales)
of delivering new infrastructure which compliments these priorities.

Decarbonising Transport: Department for Transport policy document aims to achieve net zero greenhouse gas emission from the UK’s transport system (transport
Setting the Challengexxi became the largest emitting sector of emissions in 2016, contributing to 28% of the UK’s emissions); sets out agenda to accelerate a
modal shift to public transport, deliver localised transport solutions, and ensure that the UK is a hub for green transport.
(UK wide)

National Transport Sets out Scotland’s transport agenda; a central principle is to take significant climate action by helping to deliver net-zero transport
Strategy 2020 – 2040xxii emissions by 2040 and by adapting to the impacts of climate change. It also sets out targets to decarbonise the country’s passenger
railways by 2035.
(Scotland)

Wales Transport Strategy The strategy sets out the Welsh Government’s vision to deliver an accessible, sustainable and ef f icient transport system f or all
2021 xxiii communities across Wales for 20 years. It has three main priorities to deliver in the next five years:
(Wales) • Priority 1: Deliver better physical and digital connectivity to reduce the need for people to use cars.
• Priority 2: Invest in low-carbon, accessible, efficient and sustainable transport infrastructure to encourage cycling, walking and public
transport use. Including future-proofing infrastructure to the impacts of climate change.
• Priority 3: Encourage people to change travel behaviours towards the use of low-carbon, sustainable transport, by making these
options more affordable and attractive.
Land Use Strategy 2016 Guides land-use policy and decision-making; aims to deliver long-term benefits f or the economy, environment and communities. It has
– 2021xxiv three key objectives, one being the responsible stewardship of Scotland’s natural resources to deliver greater benefits to the Scottish
public; at the time of writing, Scotland was consulting on its third Land Use Strategy which is due to come into effect in mid 2021.
(Scotland)

Rail Services Sets out the rail sector’s contributions to reaching net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2045; focuses on decarbonising transport
Decarbonisation Action through modal shift to rail and decarbonising rail traction energy through the removal of diesel passenger trains from the Scottish network
Planxxv by 2035.
(Scotland)

Page 33 of 44
 OFFICIAL
OFFICIAL

Climate Resilient Sets out the government’s vision and policy for adapting infrastructure to climate change; provides guidance for infrastructure owners in
Inf rastructure: Preparing terms of action to take, when to do it, and the challenges to action.
f or a Changing Climatexxvi
(UK wide)

National Policy Statement Sets out the policies and planning guidance to deliver development of nationally significant infrastructure projects for England’s road and
f or National Networksxxvii rail networks; the Secretary of State will use this statement as the primary basis f or making decisions on development consent
applications; it imposes guidance on good scheme design, as well as the treatment of environmental impacts, in order to achieve
(England)
sustainable development; its key strategic aims are to deliver networks that:
• Have the capacity, connectivity and resilience to support national and local economic activity, and to facilitate growth and create jobs
• Support and improve journey quality, reliability and safety
• Support the delivery of environmental goals and the move to a low carbon economy
• Join up communities and link effectively with each other

Page 34 of 44
 OFFICIAL
OFFICIAL

C.2 Network Rail Policy

Each of the volumes in this guide has been developed with reference to KPIs, aims and objectives set out in the strategies, reports
and policies below. When reviewing each volume, please refer to relevant Level 2 standards to understand how they can be met to
deliver sustainable design.

Strategies/Policies/Reports
The Environmental Purpose: Long-term strategy sets out a vision to deliver a mass transport system which is clean and green
Sustainability Strategy
(2020 – 2050)xxviii Objectives:
• Deliver low-emissions railway
• Deliver reliable railway service resilient to climate change
• Improved biodiversity of plants and wildlife
• Minimal waste and sustainable use of materials

The Varley Review Purpose: Sets out recommendations to deliver sustainable vegetation management across the network; assesses how effectively Network
(2018)xxix Rail currently manages lineside vegetation on its estate in accordance with its statutory responsibilities to ensure a safe and reliable railway,
in addition to its responsibilities to protect and enhance the natural environment
Recommendations:
• Network Rail must value and manage its lineside as an asset
• Appropriate governance must be put in place at organisation, route and project level
• Network Rail must improve its communication with communities and key stakeholders
• Network Rail should publish an ambitious vision for the lineside
• Network Rail should lead a cultural change for valuing nature and the environment across the organisation

Social Performance Policy Purpose: Sets out principles to improve social performance, deliver local social value, and leave a sustainable legacy for future generations
(2017)xxx
Objectives:
• Identif y Network Rail’s social impact and take action to care for local communities

Page 35 of 44
 OFFICIAL
OFFICIAL

• Be a caring neighbour, and engage with lineside and surrounding communities ahead of work
• Keep communities safe by taking action to reduce the number of trespass incidents
• Design rail infrastructure and information to be accessible to everyone

Traction Decarbonisation Purpose: Sets out why decarbonising rail traction is so important and considers the three main ways of doing it: overhead electrification,
Network Strategy battery and hydrogen fuel cells; looks at every section of unelectrified line to see where each solution can be used most effectively
(2020)xxxi
Objectives:
• Achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050
• Decarbonise railway system, and support modal shift from road and air to rail
• Deliver cost-efficient railway operations
• Provide long-term solution to air quality issues
Biodiversity Action Plan Purpose: First step in achieving Network Rail’s vision of a lineside managed sustainably f or saf ety, performance, the environment, its
(BAP) (2020)xxxii customers and neighbours; outlines Network Rail’s ambitions for its biodiversity assets, and how it intends to protect, manage and enhance
the condition of these assets across five-yearly funding cycles
Objectives:
• Achieve no net loss in biodiversity on lineside by 2024 and achieve biodiversity net gain of 10% in each region by 2040
• Mitigate unavoidable loss of biodiversity at the route level through habitat creation and restoration
• Mainstream biodiversity requirements into Network Rail’s planning and decision-making at all levels
• Deliver a Network Rail estate that connects and supports biodiversity across Britain
• Increase awareness and understanding of Network Rail’s work to manage biodiversity
• Provide open and transparent annual reports on biodiversity performance through the Route-level BAPs (Biodiversity Action Plans)

Level 1 Documents
NR/L1/ENV/100 Network Purpose: Mandates requirements to improve Network Rail’s environment and social performance through the mitigation of risks and improved
Rail Environment & Social delivery of environment and social management to leave a sustainable legacy f or f uture generations; sets out high-level requirements for
Perf ormance Policy environmental and social performance to help achieve Network Rail’s key vision of ‘A better railway for a better Britain’

Page 36 of 44
 OFFICIAL
OFFICIAL

Objectives:
• Implement and maintain environmental and social performance management systems
• Manage the natural environment responsibly, including considering impacts on biodiversity
• Reduce energy use through energy efficiency measures and delivering low-carbon design and culture
• Ensure that Britain’s railway becomes resilient to projected future climatic conditions and manages high-risk assets which are
currently disrupted by extreme weather
• Improve social performance, deliver local social value, and leave a sustainable legacy for future generations

Level 2 Documents
NR/L2/ENV/015 Purpose: Sets out Network Rail’s minimum requirements for the management of environment and social risks, and opportunities during
Environment & Social design and / or construction activities; it is mandatory f or all design and construction work carried out; the standards apply to all land areas
Minimum Requirements impacted by project activities; each project is expected to complete an Environmental & Social Appraisal (ESA) to evaluate which
f or Projects environmental and / or social themes are likely to be impacted by the proposed activities
Objectives:
• Improve business cost-efficiency from sustainable practices
• Increase social value
• Reduce risk of legal and regulatory non-compliance and negative reputational exposure

NR/L2/ENV/122 Purpose: Sets out key principles for the management and enhancement of biodiversity; applies to the construction of new assets as well the
Managing Biodiversity maintenance of existing assets; highlights the range of other benefits that can be delivered by enhancing biodiversity on rail infrastructure and
maintenance projects
Objectives:
• Ensure adherence to environment legislation
• Highlight requirements for production of Ecological Constraints & Opportunities Plans (ECO) and Habitat Management Plans (HMP)

Page 37 of 44
 OFFICIAL
OFFICIAL

NR/L2/OTK/5201 Lineside Purpose: Sets out requirements for the management of lineside vegetation to support safe running of the railway and to contribute to the
Vegetation Management sustainable management of the lineside
Manual
Objectives:
• Provide a structured way to plan the sustainable management of the lineside through the development of Route Vegetation
Management Plans and Sectional Asset Plans
• Improve the condition and safety of the lineside while protecting and enhancing its biodiversity
• Set a localised strategy for managing the lineside aligned to regional asset strategies
• Develop long-term management objectives that align to the strategy

NR/L2/ENV/115 Purpose: Provides f ramework requirements f or Network Rail’s business units to implement and maintain an Environment & Social
Environment & Social Management system for managing risks associated with environmental and social activities
Management System
Objectives:
Requirements
• Enhance environmental and social performance
• Identif y and fulfil all compliance obligations
• Set and achieve environmental and social objectives

Page 38 of 44
 OFFICIAL
OFFICIAL

Appendix D - PACE process

PACE is an industry-accepted project delivery framework that can be tailored by the project to the individual needs of each project.
It is designed to support better decision making with an increased focused on improved outcomes for all of Network Rail’s key
stakeholders. The table below illustrates the relationship between the Railway Sustainability Design Guide and the PACE phases to
demonstrate how the guide can be applied at each stage.
PACE phase Description Railway Sustainability Key activities for these stages?
Design Guide steps to
support PACE phase
The purpose of this phase is to prepare a Network Rail encourages sustainability outputs f rom all scales of
Project Management Plan and appoint a work in order to meet the strategic objectives set out in its
team required to plan an enter phase 1. Step 1: Familiarise yourself Sustainability Strategy 2020.
Phase A: Project with Railway Sustainability
It is important to make sure sustainable design considerations
Initiation Design Guide volumes and
f orm part of the output def inition, f unding, interf aces, and
principles
stakeholder considerations.

Phase 1 involves: NR/L2/ENV/015 specifies the requirement for ESA and ESMP and
requires the Network Rail Project Manager to interrogate the
• Determining the baseline requirements Step 2: Use the ESA tool to National Hazard Directory and GeoRINM to identify records of
for the project identify environmental and environmental and social risks.
• Identifying the constraints that will social priorities
impact the feasibility of the project This desk based process will help identify the environmental and
social constraints that will impact the feasibility of the project.
Phase 1: • Determine a single option (the project)
Development and that meets the client requirements within Collect relevant baseline environmental and social data to support
Project Selection the identified constraints the development of an ESMP. A wide range of environmental
assessments required at this stage, including:
Step 3: Environmental &
Social Assessment • Preliminary Ecological Appraisal
• Biodiversity Accounting
• Air Quality Risk Assessment
• Noise & Vibration Risk Assessment

Page 39 of 44
 OFFICIAL
OFFICIAL

PACE phase Description Railway Sustainability Key activities for these stages?
Design Guide steps to
support PACE phase
Consider how the developing options are aligned with the
Environmental Sustainability Strategy and relevant regional and
route strategic documents to meet PACE requirements of
supporting strategic initiatives and enhancing service outcomes
NR/L2/ENV/015 also notes that at contract award the Designer /
Contractor shall agree:
Step 4: Set sustainability
objectives • Project-specific environment and social objectives
performance targets

This is the most suitable stage to confirm sustainability objectives

f or the identified pref erred option. This should be considered
through reviewing risks and opportunities, based on the
environmental and social assessments undertaken in Step 3.
Phase 2: Project The purpose of Phase 2 is to: At Phase 2 the user should analyse all collected data and local
Development context to develop the project approach to environmental and
• undertake development of the single
social requirements, which will result in an updated Design
option to agree Approval in Principle and Step 5: Develop the Environment Management Plan and the Environmental & Social
standards to which the project shall be approach Risk Assessment.
constructed; and
• produce an approved ready for This is also the stage at which the project team achieves all
construction design which meets the consents, permits and licences to undertake the work.
client’s requirements. Detailed design is about ensuring everything is in place to begin
the delivery steps – f or example, reviewing and evaluating your
Step 6: Review and
approach can ensure you have all the relevant environmental and
evaluate the approach
social permits, consents and licensing in place.
It also emphasises delivering a robust engineering design. This
requires input from technical experts to ensure any environmental
and social risks are mitigated appropriately and to Network Rail
requirements. The Railway Sustainability Design Guide steps will

Page 40 of 44
 OFFICIAL
OFFICIAL

PACE phase Description Railway Sustainability Key activities for these stages?
Design Guide steps to
support PACE phase
demonstrate how environmental and social opportunities can be
delivered on site.
This will result in f inalised approaches to environment and social
requirements and the Design Environmental Management Plan.
The development of a Construction Environmental Management
Plan is a key output at this stage.
Phase 3: Project The purpose of Phase 3 is to: While carrying out the work, site assessments are required to
Delivery ensure the enhancement is delivered to specification and
• safely and efficiently deliver the project
accordance with design. This is important f rom a sustainable
to the specification; design perspective because practices should be tweaked and
• undertake final verification and ref ined throughout construction to minimise environmental
validation of requirements, testing, and impacts and ensure that the project is delivering against the
commissioning; and Step 7: Delivery
sustainability objectives agreed in Phase 1.
• asset enters service.
Use the ESA and Construction Management Plan to monitor and
track progress against these objectives throughout construction.
The main output is that the project is built,
tested and commissioned into use.
Phase 4: Project The purpose of Phase 4 is to: The Railway Sustainability Design Guide should be used to
Close understand what tools are available to help assess the scheme
during hand back and to ensure adherence to the agreed criteria
• transfer of asset from the project team to f rom an environmental and social point of view. The guide’s
the operator; volumes provide clear guidance on the monitoring requirements
• Project Manager closes project systems that will play a critical role in demonstrating the project has
and demobilises; and Step 8: Monitoring and complied with the agreed scope of works f rom a sustainability
evaluation
• Sponsor demonstrates delivery to perspective.
client’s requirements and formally closes Review all actions in the ESA tool and ensure a f inal version is
the project and related support systems. complete.
Review and f inalise the ESMP and ensure that long -term
Key to this phase is demonstrating the monitoring plans are put in place as per the guidance in the
project has complied with consents and

Page 41 of 44
 OFFICIAL
OFFICIAL

PACE phase Description Railway Sustainability Key activities for these stages?
Design Guide steps to
support PACE phase
delivered against the scope of work agreed Railway Sustainability Design Guide. This will provide supporting
at the end of Phase 2. The project should inf ormation for the Benefits Assessment.
disband and the Benef its Assessment
should commence at this phase.

Page 42 of 44
 OFFICIAL
OFFICIAL

i
BEIS (2019) UK becomes first major economy to pass net zero emissions law [online] Available at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/uk-becomes-first-major-economy-to-pass-net-zero-emissions-law
ii DEFRA (2018) 25 Year Environment Plan [online] Available at:

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/693158/2
5-year-environment-plan.pdf
iii Network Rail (2020) Environmental Sustainability Strategy 2020 -2050 [online] Available at:

https://www.networkrail.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/NR-Environmental-Strategy-FINAL-web.pdf
iv CEEQUAL (2019) Version 6 Technical Manual, UK & Ireland, SD6051:0.0 [online] Available at:

https://www.ceequal.com/version-6/
v
CCC (2018) Managing the coast in a changing climate [online] Available at:
https://www.theccc.org.uk/publication/managing-the-coast-in-a-changing-climate/
vi
Network Rail (2020) Environmental Sustainability Strategy [online] Available at:
https://www.networkrail.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/NR-Environmental-Strategy-FINAL-web.pdf
vii
Network Rail (2015) Waste [online] Available at: https://safety.networkrail.co.uk/home-2/environment-and-
sustainable-development/environment/waste/
viii Bruntland. G, (1987) Our Common Future [online] available at: http://www.un-documents.net/ocf-ov.htm
ix ARUP (2020) Sustainable Infrastructure design [online] Available at:

https://www.arup.com/expertise/services/infrastructure/sustainable-infrastructure-design
x NIC Design Group (2020) Climate People Places values: Design principles for National Infrastructure [online]

Available at: https://nic.org.uk/app/uploads/NIC-Design-Principles.pdf

xi UK Government (2020) The Town and Country Planning Act 1990 [online] Available at:

https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1990/8/contents
xii Scottish Government (2007) The Town and Country Planning Order 2006 [online] Available at:

https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ssi/2006/270/contents/made
xiii
UK Parliament (2019) The Environment Bill (Draft) [online] Available at:
https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/bills/cbill/2019-2019/0003/20003.pdf
xiv
UK Parliament (2008) Climate Change Act 2008 [online] Available at:
https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2008/27/pdfs/ukpga_20080027_en.pdf
xv Welsh Government (2016) Environment (Wales() Act 2016 [online] Available at:

https://www.legislation.gov.uk/anaw/2016/3/part/1/crossheading/state-of-natural-resources-report
xvi Scottish Government (2019) Climate Change (Emissions Reductions Targets) Act [online] Available at:

https://www.legislation.gov.uk/asp/2019/15/contents/enacted
xvii DEFRA (2018) 25 Year Environment Plan [online] Available at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/25-year-environment-plan
xviii Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (2019) National Planning Policy Framework

[online] Available at:

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/810197/N
PPF_Feb_2019_revised.pdf
xix Scottish Government (2014) National Planning Framework 3 [online] Available at:

https://www.gov.scot/publications/national-planning-framework-3/
xx Welsh Government (2021) future Wales: the National Plan 2040 [online] available at:

https://gov.wales/future-wales-national-plan-2040-0
xxi Department for Transport (2020) Decarbonising Transport: Setting the Challenge [online] Available at:

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/932122/d
ecarbonising-transport-setting-the-challenge.pdf
xxii Transport Scotland (2020) National transport Strategy: protecting our climate and improving lives [online]

Available at: https://www.transport.gov.scot/media/47052/national-transport-strategy.pdf

xxiii Welsh Government (2021) The Wales Transport Strategy 2021 [online] Available at:

https://gov.wales/sites/default/files/publications/2021-03/llwybr-newydd-wales-transport-strategy-2021-full-
strategy_0.pdf

Page 43 of 44
 OFFICIAL
OFFICIAL

xxiv
Scottish Government (2016) Getting the best for our land: A Land Use Strategy for Scotland 2016 -2021
[online] Available at: https://www.gov.scot/binaries/content/documents/govscot/publications/strategy-
plan/2016/03/getting-best-land-land-use-strategy-scotland-2016-2021/documents/00497086-pdf/00497086-
pdf/govscot%3Adocument/00497086.pdf
xxv
Transport Scotland (2020) Rail Services Decarbonisation Action Plan [online] Available at:
https://www.transport.gov.scot/media/47906/rail-services-decarbonisation-action-plan.pdf
xxvi
UK Government (2011) Climate Resilient Infrastructure: Preparing for a Changing Climate [online] Available
at:
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/69269/cli
mate-resilient-infrastructure-full.pdf
xxvii
UK Government (2014) National Policy Statement for National Networks [online] Available at:
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/387223/n
psnn-web.pdf
xxviii
Network Rail (2020) Environmental Sustainability Strategy 2020 – 2050 [online] Available at:
https://www.networkrail.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Network Rail-Environmental-Strategy-FINAL-
web.pdf
xxix
J. Varley (2018) Valuing nature – a railway for people and wildlife…The Network Rail Vegetation Management
Plan [online] Available at:
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/759698/v
aluing-nature_a-railway-for-people-and-wildlife-the-network-rail-vegetation-management-review.pdf
xxx
Network rail (2017) Social Performance Policy [online] Available at: https://www.networkrail.co.uk/wp-
content/uploads/2019/03/Network-Rail-Social-Performance-Policy.pdf
xxxi Network Rail (2020) Traction Decarbonisation Network Strategy [online] Available at:

https://www.networkrail.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Traction-Decarbonisation-Network-Strategy-
Interim-Programme-Business-Case.pdf
xxxii Network Rail (2020) Biodiversity Action plan [online] Available at: https://www.networkrail.co.uk/wp-

content/uploads/2020/11/Biodiversity-Action-Plan.pdf

Page 44 of 44