Transport spending must reflect extreme heat and rainfall damage, says DfT report

A DfT report has urged the strengthening of the economic modelling of the case for investing in measures to protect transport networks from severe weather events such as last winter's severe rainfall, severe snow and ice, storms, and high temperatures.

The report, welcomed by transport secretary Patrick McLoughlin, who said he would study its detailed recommendations, calls on infrastructure operators and the DfT "develop methodologies for estimating the economic and social costs of disruption, and for capturing the costs of rectifying damage caused by extreme weather". 

At present, Brown warns, "spending on resilience is largely event-led and reactive, in contrast to the social cost-benefit analysis approach, including travel time savings, which drives most transport investment decision-making".

The report also recommends that transport infrastructure owners and the DfT "define a critical network of railways, highways, ports and airports which should be prioritised in strengthening resilience, paying particular attention to protecting 'single points of failure' in networks, such as the rail route to South West England, and critical links to key airports and ports".

McLoughlin's predecessor Justine Greening had urged higher investment to keep roads open during severe snow and ice, but the fresh call for additional spending, including in maintenance, comes as revenue faces a further squeeze in the next Parliament.