Summary
Preparation to prevent disruption to transport networks in bad winter weather conditions is essential after the UK faced its third consecutive cold winter in 2010-11 with heavy snow.
'Keeping the UK Moving: the Impact on Transport of the Winter Weather in December 2010’ (HC 794) examines how snow chaos last December closed Heathrow, disabled parts of the rail network and disrupted many roads.
More can and should be done to ensure UK transport networks continue to operate in severe winter weather, the Commons Transport Committee finds.
The welfare of air and rail passengers must be taken more seriously and better real time information must be provided to road users.
The Transport Committee calls for additional investment and coordination by government to:
- Ensure the final version of the Department for Transport's (DfT) Climate change 'Adaptation Plan' refers to the future risk of severe winter weather.
- Improve resilience of the third rail network south of the Thames, with a long term aim to install a more resilient method of electrification.
- Oversee airport planning for major incidents including snow chaos, particularly at Heathrow and review airport regulations to ensure they take account of this.
- Permit airport operators to reclaim the cost of looking after stranded passengers when airlines fail to discharge their responsibility to do this.
- Provide better online advice for individuals and communities about tackling problems arising from severe winter weather.
- Launch a high profile campaign to increase the proportion of motorists taking precautions for driving in winter weather.
- Develop clearer snow and ice risk travel warnings for freight vehicles similar to those for strong winds.
- Investigate the case to provide the Met Office with more money to improve its long range forecasting capability sufficient to improve the way transport operators can warn passengers.
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