Written question asked by Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour) on Friday, 29 November 2024, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Tuesday, 3 December 2024. It was answered by Simon Lightwood (Labour) on Monday, 9 December 2024 on behalf of the Department for Transport.

Railway Network: Snow and Ice

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions she has had with Network Rail on steps to prepare the rail network for adverse winter weather.

Answer: Network Rail owns and is responsible for maintaining railway infrastructure to ensure passenger and freight services operate safely. Officials hold regular discussions with Network Rail and industry to ensure winter preparedness plans are in place with clear mitigations to reduce the impacts of winter weather on punctuality and reliability. Network Rail Routes liaise closely with train operators to ensure comprehensive winter checklists are in place and to align customer messaging. Additionally, in Control Period 7 between 2024-2029, Network Rail plans to invest c.£2.8bn to help it better cope with extreme weather and climate change, ultimately safeguarding a more reliable railway.

Secondary information