Welsh Government moves to climate‑proof transport network
New measures aim to strengthen rail, bus and road services against heat, floods and storms, safeguarding travel across Wales.
The Welsh Government has unveiled a comprehensive plan to climate‑proof Wales’s transport network ahead of the winter season.
Deputy Minister for Transport Mark Hooper addressed the Senedd’s plenary on Tuesday, 13 October, outlining the new measures.
“Climate change is already affecting Wales, with hotter, drier summers, milder and wetter winters, sea‑level rise, and increased risks of flooding, drought and wildfire.” “Working with our partners, we are taking practical action to build a transport system that can withstand future pressures and continue to serve the people of Wales.”
“We cannot prevent every disruption caused by extreme weather – but we can be better prepared, more resilient and more responsive.”
The statement follows a summer of unprecedented heat that forced the withdrawal of several train services, imposed speed restrictions and stretched bus routes, road networks and active‑travel paths.
Transport for Wales, in partnership with Network Rail, is tightening maintenance and inspection regimes, upgrading train cooling systems and deploying enhanced weather‑monitoring tools to curb disruptions before they reach passengers.
Bus franchising arrangements are being revised to embed flood‑risk assessments, overheating safeguards and energy‑resilience criteria, ensuring that new vehicle fleets can better endure extreme conditions.
On the Strategic Road Network, recent storms, floods and heatwaves have prompted a review of road‑management practices, with a focus on proactive maintenance to limit future closures.
In preparation for winter, salt and grit stocks are being tracked across the country, while resilience and adaptation training is being rolled out to all 22 local authorities to improve responses to flooding, landslips and severe weather on the wider road system.
Wales’s three main ferry ports – Holyhead, Fishguard and Pembroke Dock – remain vital links for passengers and freight, a fact underscored by the prolonged disruption at Holyhead in December 2024.
The Irish Sea Taskforce, set up after that incident, is tasked with preventing similar port closures and coordinating a rapid response should any Welsh gateway face severe weather‑related interruption.
Future transport policies are being shaped to deliver networks that are both resilient and low‑carbon, directing investment into rail, bus, Metro and road projects capable of withstanding the climate pressures projected for coming decades.
Lessons drawn from recent extreme‑weather events are now embedded in planning processes, ensuring that new infrastructure is designed with higher temperature tolerances and flood‑resilience standards.
A dedicated resilience exercise is slated for the coming months, involving partners on both sides of the Irish Sea and concentrating on an unforeseen Welsh port‑closure scenario.
The government’s approach combines practical upgrades with strategic foresight, aiming to keep transport services reliable for the people of Wales even as climate patterns shift.