Edenbridge Rail Embankment Protection

Network rail is investing a record £1.25bn in track upgrades, signalling, embankments, structures, stations and depots to give passengers in Kent and South East London better journeys, with fewer delays. As part of this, they are reshaping embankments to ensure delays due to landslips will be minimised along the southeast routes. 

As there is a vast landscape covered on the route there have been environmental challenges to prevent wildlife from burrowing into embankments and causing collapse and delays on the lines.  At Edenbridge, project work involved revegetating the embankment and then installing measures to prevent rabbits, badgers or other larger burrowing animals from accessing the soil and burrowing into the core of the embankment. Not only does this potentially undermine its structural integrity, but also storm water run-off can enter the core of the embankments through these animal burrows, weakening it.

A robust, yet ecologically friendly anti-burrowing system was required to prevent this problem from occurring, whilst also allowing vegetation to be incorporated and retained within the embankment slopes.