Upgrading the sea defences at Folkestone Warren
We will be carrying out essential work from summer to protect the Folkestone Warren and secure the railway line that runs through it
We are repairing the walkway footpath along the beach and strengthening the sea defences below the line. We’ll do this by adding 18,000 tonnes of rock armour in front of the sea wall to protect it from sea action.
The 18,000 tonnes of rock armour at the toe of the Warren on the Western Beach will protect against erosion from the sea and stabilise the line protecting both the track and the Warren itself.
Project timeline
The work will start from July 2025 and is expected to be completed by March 2026.
What work is taking place?
The safety of our passengers, the public and colleagues is always our priority. Folkestone Warren is an area that is safely managed for railway operations.
From July 2025 to secure the railway line, we are repairing the walkway footpath along the beach and renewing the sea defences below the track by adding 18,000 tonnes of rock armour in front of the sea wall to protect it from sea action.
Drainage systems will also be repaired to stop water building up as the existing drainage system has subsided by a metre as the cliff has slipped. Approximately 50 sheet piles will also be installed behind the sea wall to provide a barrier and stop seawater going underneath the abutments.
How will this work affect me?
Trains will still run but the walkway will be closed and access to the beach restricted while we are working.
The area is managed well for railway operations. We are constantly monitoring the situation and are putting in extra measures. These include more frequent inspections of the line and doing drone surveys.
We are also undertaking an online survey for Folkestone residents to feedback to Network Rail on their views of the works. If you would like to take part, please view our survey here.
Why is the work needed?
There is long history of landslip at Folkestone Warren with ongoing movement for many years. There are times when that movement is greater, other times when it’s stable.
We have previously carried out ground investigations to assess the extent of current movement and have drilled exploratory boreholes.
We have also installed monitoring equipment that collects and shares real time data to alert us of further minor or significant movement. This allows us to caution or stop trains if movement is detected. More monitoring instrumentation went into the ground over the winter 2024 in all areas of the Warren and on top of the cliff.
The investigation and enhanced monitoring help us understand the size and scope of the problem. We can then put in place interim, medium and long-term solutions.
Get in touch
If you have any questions, please call our dedicated 24-hour National Helpline on 03457 11 41 41 or visit our contact us page.