Rail network ‘under persistent weather stress’ as flood affected stations identified
Research revealed weather disruption affecting train services had jumped by 20% in the region in the last decade
Railway stations in Nunthorpe, Redcar, Saltburn and Darlington have been identified as among the worst hit by flooding-related disruption.
Research by climate change campaign group Round Our Way revealed that flood-related disruption affecting train services had jumped by 20% in the North-East in the last decade.
The group, which analysed cancellation data compiled by Network Rail, also found that, at a UK level, for every million train journeys passengers take the problem causes approximately 30 more minutes of delay than it did a decade ago.
Between 2014 and 2025 there were 96 incidents classified as flooding-related disruption associated with Darlington station; 80 in Nunthorpe; 59 in Saltburn and 48 at Redcar Central.
The worst hit station in the North-East over the period was Prudhoe, in Northumbria, which suffered 372 incidents.
Such incidents are defined by Network Rail as severe weather beyond the design capability of infrastructure.
Sofie Jenkinson, a co-director at Round Our Way, said: “The rail network appears to be under persistent weather stress as climate change has started to have more regular impacts.
“This causes significantly more delays to train passengers.
“The significant rise in delays shows the increased impact of extreme weather caused by climate change, raising concerns about safety beneath the surface of our creaking rail infrastructure for passengers and operators alike.”
She said long-term resilience planning and investments were essential to keep the rail network moving, alongside ongoing efforts to bring down carbon emissions.
The Met Office has calculated that the decade 2015 to 2024 has been 2% wetter than 1991 to 2020 and 10% wetter than 1961 to 1990, meanwhile every one degree of global warming is projected to cause a 7% increase in extreme daily rainfall.
A spokesman for Network Rail said: “We understand the frustration that flooding-related disruption causes passengers and take it very seriously.
The overall picture is one of improvement, with targeted work planned this year and beyond to tackle the root causes of flooding and improve drainage across the network.
“Climate change is leading to more intense and prolonged rainfall, which puts added pressure on the railway, but we don’t simply blame the weather.
We’re focused on making practical, long-term improvements to help future‑proof our assets, reduce disruption and improve reliability for passengers.”
Earlier this month, the Local Democracy Reporting Service revealed concerns about the potential impact of coastal erosion on a Network Rail managed freight line which runs along the East Cleveland coast serving the British Steel site at Carlin How, near Skinningrove and the potash mine at Boulby.
Former councillor Philip Chisholm, who lives in Redcar, said: “Climate change, heavier rainfall, and accelerating coastal erosion have turned a long-term issue into an immediate risk.
“The question is no longer whether the railway is vulnerable, but whether we are prepared to act before it is lost.”