Railway Network: Snow and Ice
The 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.
Answered by Simon Lightwood
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.
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