Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking with rail companies to help support the safety of (a) passengers and (b) rail staff during heatwaves.

Train operators are required by law to mitigate and manage the safety risks to staff and passengers associated with heatwaves. The Rail Delivery Group (RDG) recently updated its guidance in June 2023 covering the specific arrangements and measures that operators should have in place to manage hot weather. This includes communicating travel conditions to passengers, providing access to water, recognising the signs of heatstroke, and administering medical assistance where needed. Operators are also expected to manage station and train environments to maintain comfortable temperatures, which extends to upgrading air conditioning and ventilation on new rolling stock and rectifying faults with these systems quickly in the event they stop working.