Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that train tracks can function as normal during heatwaves.

Network Rail has well-established operational measures it implements to protect infrastructure and manage services safely during extreme weather events, such as line speed restrictions, diversions and painting parts of the railway tracks white.

Looking ahead, we want industry to proactively prepare wherever possible, but also to explore new technology which could help improve resilience.

Network Rail launched a resilience task force in July to review the UK rail networks capacity to deal with extreme heat, which will be led by independent experts. It will make recommendations on how the railway can develop its approach to resilience during hot weather.