Network Rail blames climate change for line closure

Network Rail has described climate change as a "huge challenge" as it continues to repair a landslip on a railway line linking Surrey and Kent.

The line between Tonbridge and Redhill has been closed since the Easter weekend following a safety inspection of the track.

The Bough Beech embankment, near Edenbridge, is "still moving" as Network Rail install sheet piles into the base of the embankment to stabilise it.

Mark Killick, the operator's director of engineering and asset management, said: "We're focused on doing minimum amount of work to get the railway back open as quickly as possible for our customers at the moment."

He said 50 of about 89 piles needed have been installed so far.

Mr Killick added: "We have a railway that is founded on kind of Victorian infrastructure. We've got 21st century problems of climate change.

"Climate Change is a big challenge for us.

"This is the wettest winter we have seen in Kent for a very long time.

"We have lots of instrumentation on the embankments, so we can see really small amounts of movement and so we're using technologies to help us manage the impact of climate change."

Network Rail said it will be "next week" before the line will reopen, as the embankment is "still moving" and the site "still live".

Buses are continuing to replace trains at all stations between Tonbridge and Redhill.

Tickets are being accepted for customers wanting to travel on trains via London.

Stations affected by the closure are Tonbridge, Leigh, Penshurst, Edenbridge, Godstone, Nutfield and Redhill.

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