Overview
- Operators are using quick fixes such as dousing runways with water, spraying about 9,000 litres on key tarmac at Oslo Airport, and painting metro tracks white to cut track buckling risks.
- Rail and road managers are scaling trials of tech and materials including drones for inspections, AI sensors for hot-spot detection, and tests of heat-resistant asphalt and more stable sleepers.
- An EU report from April showed over 70% of rail managers have seen growing weather disruption and found 2015–2024 interruptions equaled one to three years of lost rail service across Europe.
- Experts warn the bigger threat is follow-on extreme weather after heatwaves, such as thunderstorms, strong winds and landslides, which can cause signalling failures and route closures.
- Short-term fixes are widespread but costly network-wide upgrades remain uneven and expensive, with Britain’s Network Rail pledging £2.6 billion for resilience and analysts warning of sizable GDP risk if adaptation lags.