AQW 50106/22-27
Mr John Blair
Alliance Party
South Antrim
Tabled Date: 01/07/2026
Answered On Date: 28/07/2026
Priority Written: No
Question:
To ask the Minister for Infrastructure whether extreme heat risk is now integrated into transport infrastructure design standards and maintenance schedules.
Answer:
The integration of extreme heat risk into transport infrastructure design and maintenance is dependent on the asset type and the relevant design standard. For highway structures, thermal tolerances are included within the Eurocodes (European Standards) used for structural design. These standards require designers to take account of temperature fluctuations during both the construction and operational life of a structure. The temperature ranges used in design are updated as necessary through the Eurocode review programme, ensuring that new designs reflect the most appropriate temperature ranges. The Department also recognises that prolonged dry weather can affect some older earthworks, particularly where water-bearing soils shrink as they dry out. Modern engineered fills are designed to manage groundwater and soil conditions through the geotechnical design requirements in Eurocode 7 and the Design Manual for Roads and Bridges (DMRB). Standards relating to carriageway resurfacing and pavement design include requirements to account for the effect of temperature on bituminous materials and pavement performance. The Sustainability and Environment section of the DMRB requires schemes to assess and report on the effects of climate on highways, including climate change resilience, climate adaptation, impacts on highway assets arising from future climate conditions, and the operational and maintenance consequences of climate change. Extreme heat is therefore considered as part of the Department’s wider climate resilience approach. Where vulnerability to future climate conditions is identified, appropriate adaptation measures are to be considered as part of scheme development, design and ongoing asset management.
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