nature of infrastructure systems

2. Learning Outcomes
This coursework will allow the student to:
• Appreciate the interconnected nature of infrastructure systems;
• Recognise the importance of redundancy in providing resilience;
• Appreciate that improved understanding and capacity can lead to better resilience;
• Translate specific lessons learned into contingency planning to help manage future events;
• Think systematically when addressing issues that have multiple influencing factors.
Whilst aiming at the transport sector, important principles that work across other sectors will be
learned
3. Task
During the winter of 2013/14 rail links from London to the south west of England were severed for
some six weeks owing to a breach of the only line into parts of Devon and Cornwall. This breach was
occasioned by an extreme storm surge event coupled with high tides. Traffic, mostly passengers, were
re-routed by road for the duration of the remedial works.
But what if the line that was severed had been somewhere else, say the line from Felixstowe Port
where much freight traffic comes into the country? What if Immingham Port was also affected?
This coursework asks for an examination and critique of the issues surrounding the severance of the
railway lines, each individually and both simultaneously, for a period of six winter weeks. Generally,
students will be expected to research the various aspects mentioned below, and to delve into
technical specifics explaining the themes covered. For example, early on, the likelihood of weather/
climate change events is declared. Students should describe what this means – i.e. what does
likelihood mean? What does Critical to the UK mean in this context? – what is a workaround? Using
the recommended reading material give below and through the lectures, students should be able to
draft a coherent answer, picking up the nuances and context and addressing these in their response.

2 The coursework needs to show thought around:
• The likelihood of a weather/climate change event creating such closure(s) at or near
Immingham, and at or near Felixstowe, and how much more or less likely would this be in
2050?
• The likelihood of lines to both ports being severed at the same time.
• What freight flows might be affected?
• What freight flows might be considered critical to the UK, and why?
• What contingency plans and workarounds might be instigated by the railway industry?
• How the ports and road haulage industry might help?
• Systemic consequences: Will lack of goods lead to unimagined/unanticipated consequences
and what might these be?
• What might happen if the line closures lasted longer than six weeks?
• How would the consequences be different in the year 2050?
o Would better understanding of climate risks lead to a more resilient supply chain?
A number of indicative references that will be useful for the coursework includes the following:
• CIRIA C688 Flood resilience and resistance for critical infrastructure (available as reading
material in module’s S arn page)
• National Infrastructure Commision Report (2020) – Anticipate, React, Recover: Resilient
infrastructure systems (https://nic.org.uk/app/uploads/Anticipate-React-Recover-28-May2020.pdf)
• UK Climate Change Risk Assessment (CCRA3) (https://www.ukclimaterisk.org/)
• Department for Transport (2013) – Transport Resilience Review
(https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/transport-resilience-reviewrecommendations)
• Material on the port of Felixstowe (https://www.portoffelixstowe.co.uk and
https://www.portoffelixstowe.co.uk/rail/rail-information/)
• Material on the port of Immingham (https://www.abports.co.uk/locations/immingham/)
• Network Rail Weather Resilience and Climate Change Adaptation Plans
(https://safety.networkrail.co.uk/home-2/environment-and-sustainabledevelopment/wrcca/)
• Network Rail strategic plans (https://www.networkrail.co.uk/wpcontent/uploads/2020/03/cp6-delivery-plan-update-eastern.pdf) and other NR documents
including https://networkrail.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/Intermodal-rail-sites.pdf
4. Marking Criteria
The breakdown of the marks for each question are as follows:
3 Technical part
Marks awarded for good
technical material including
discussion, references, clarity
The likelihood of a weather/ climate change event creating such
closure(s) at or near Immingham, (5) and at or near Felixstowe,
(5) and how much more or less likely would this be in 2050? (5)
15
The likelihood of lines to both ports being severed at the same
time. 5
What freight flows might be affected? 5
What freight flows might be considered critical to the UK, and
why? 10
What contingency plans and workarounds might be instigated by
the railway industry? 5
Systemic consequences
Will lack of goods lead to unimagined/ unanticipated
consequences and what might these be? 15
What might happen if the line closures lasted longer than six
weeks? 5
How would the consequences be different in the year 2050?
Would better understanding of climate risks lead to a more
resilient supply chain?
10
Conclusions and recommendations drawn from above 15
Presentation
Presentation including Readability – the logic and order of the
report, Executive summary, Introduction 15
The presentation of the report will be expected to be professional, which includes the following:
• Title page including name and URN number of student;
• Consistent numbering of sections, pages, tables and figures;
• Consistent use of styles (fonts and sizes) for headers and body text;
• Well-formatted and appropriately sized figures and tables with descriptive captions for each;
• Correct and to the point language;
• Inclusion of a reference section and correct use of references and citations;
• Section headings that match the headings in the marking scheme;
• The style and formatting must be consistent over the whole report.
The report should be limited to 15 pages maximum (single-spaced), excluding appendices. Submission
should be through Surrey Learn using the coursework assignment submission folder that will be
created.