Network Rail’s Wales and Western region has developed a new type of sleeper which unlocks new environmental benefits. The region worked with Network Rail’s Technical Authority to create ‘hedgehog’ sleepers – so called because the design looks like hedgehogs nestling under the rail.
The new sleepers contain 90% less carbon than wooden models and 78% less than those made from concrete. This is a significant development, with Network Rail sustainability research finding that sleepers currently account for 30% of carbon embedded within railway infrastructure.