GAD helps ORR turn climate data into practical insight
GAD analysis is helping ORR understand how climate-related hazards are changing across Great Britain's transport networks and where risks may be growing.
Credit: Umair Dingmar, Unsplash
Analysis from the Government Actuary’s Department (GAD) is helping the Office of Rail and Road (ORR) explore how climate-related hazards that affect Britain’s transport networks are changing.
We worked with the ORR to develop a clear, visual resource that will support discussions about climate-related risks to Great Britain’s rail and road infrastructure.
Understanding changing climate hazards
The analysis examined how climate-related hazards have changed over time and where the most pronounced changes have occurred.
Using climate data spanning multiple years across Great Britain, we compared recent conditions with historical patterns for hazards that can disrupt rail and road travel. The analysis identified the regions and seasons that may need closer attention.
A practical basis for regulatory discussions
ORR commissioned the work to strengthen its independent oversight of how infrastructure managers, including Network Rail and National Highways, manage weather and climate-related risks.
Although these organisations carry out their own analysis, ORR also needs independent evidence to assess their approaches. The resource provides a practical basis for focusing regulatory discussions between ORR and infrastructure managers.
Combining expertise and clear communication
GAD worked closely with ORR to identify the hazards most likely to disrupt or damage transport infrastructure. Together, we agreed the climate indicators most relevant to those hazards and which locations and periods to examine.
GAD combined expertise in climate-related risk, geospatial data analysis and clear communication. We examined the data for important trends, refined the approach with ORR, and created accessible visuals and explanations for both technical and non-technical audiences. The outputs highlight where risks may be increasing, set out the main uncertainties and limitations, and provide a reusable way to communicate complex climate evidence.
“This was a fascinating piece of work. I was impressed by how GAD combined technical expertise and visual communication to make the key trends stand out and push the boundaries of how we tell stories with data.” Dr Howard Taylor, ORR project sponsor.
The analysis turns complex climate data into practical insight for ORR’s scrutiny of regulated infrastructure organisations. It also supports wider discussions about climate resilience by helping infrastructure managers identify the locations and times of year where changing hazards could have the greatest impact.
Dr Charlotte Marcinko, GAD project lead added: “It was a real pleasure to work with ORR and bring our expertise together. We’ve turned complex evidence on changing climate hazards into a clear, practical resource that can help shape important conversations about resilience.”