AQW 35953/22-27

Ms Connie Egan
Alliance Party
North Down

Tabled Date: 20/11/2025
Answered On Date: 15/12/2025
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister for Infrastructure to detail any support her Department have provided to Translink, to prepare public transport and the rail network, for adverse winter weather conditions.

Answer:

Translink has a comprehensive winter preparedness programme aimed at maintaining safe and reliable public transport and rail services during adverse weather conditions such as snow, ice, flooding, and high winds.

For bus operations, measures include an annually reviewed Extreme Weather Procedure, winter driving safety bulletins, and real-time monitoring. Bus stations maintain salting and gritting arrangements with reserve stocks and contracted services to ensure safe access.

For rail services, planning begins in early autumn and includes railhead treatment trains, traction gel applicators, and de-icing of critical infrastructure. Operational adjustments such as speed restrictions and winter safety briefings are applied as needed. Rail infrastructure resilience is supported through remote monitoring of signalling systems, heating mechanisms for level crossings and points, and backup power supplies.