Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking with Network Rail to prevent high soil moisture deficit levels affecting (a) track stability, (b) lineside earthworks and (c) embankment safety.

Between 2024 and 2029, Network Rail is investing £2.8bn to support the resilience of Great Britain’s rail network to extreme weather and climate change, including enhancements to drainage systems to reduce water accumulation during heavy rainfall, reinforcing embankments to improve slope stability, and implementing more advanced monitoring and early warning systems to detect potential hazards before they escalate.

The West of England line has been particularly affected by the prolonged period of dry and warm weather, with the spring of 2025 being UK’s warmest since 1910, accompanied by the lowest level of rainfall since 1976.  This has required Network Rail to impose speed restrictions and reduce the timetable to ensure the safety of the public.  Conditions are now improving and Network Rail plans to restore a full timetable from 29 November. Over the long term, Network Rail plans to upgrade the West of England line to make it more resilient to extreme weather and to increase capacity.