Network Rail has announced the opening of a brand new Track Maintenance Depot at Northampton, part of a project to drive lower emissions and support Europe’s busiest route carrying both passenger and freight.

Part of a two-phase £4.5 million project planned for a 2023 completion, the new Northampton Track Maintenance Depot is due to become Network Rail‘s first net-zero carbon-producing track maintenance site.

Solar panels play a key part in driving this major milestone in sustainability across Network Rail, which will power the site and eventually electric cars.

The new building incorporates many features the previous 140-year-old building did not have, ensuring the site is suitable for decades to come.

The new replacement building also creates job security for the 122 jobs provided at the depot, spilt into 32 office-based staff and 90 track maintenance workers.

The location is key, as Northampton is in ideal locations to cover a large amount of the track and infrastructure used to form the West Coast Mainline, running from London Euston Station to Glasgow Central Station.

Network Rail’s West Coast South route director James Dean said: “This new depot demonstrates our commitment to jobs in Northampton, our dedication to supporting a green recovery and most importantly to providing passengers with a reliable railway.

“This investment will give our staff better facilities to carry out essential maintenance on the railway, making it more reliable for the future as we build back better from the coronavirus pandemic.”

Rail Minister Chris Heaton-Harris MP, said: “A modern railway needs modern infrastructure and I am delighted to have opened the new track maintenance depot in Northampton.

“We’re also focused on making our railways even greener, and it’s fantastic that Network Rail are leading the charge with a self-powered depot built for the future.”

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