We need to prepare our transport systems for heatwaves — here’s how
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The effects will be felt unevenly, with disadvantaged communities hit the hardest. For example, in Oregon, between 2012 and 2017, the number of people taking the bus on very hot days (30 °C or more) dropped by 1.6% in lower-income neighbourhoods, by 1% in middle-income ones, and hardly at all in high-income areas5. Governments, bus and rail operators and cities should urgently prepare transport systems for a warmer future. But efforts so far have been inadequate. Just over 160 countries mention ‘transport’ in their policies for adapting to extreme heat. Yet, few have progressed from planning to implementation, owing to lack of funding, prioritization, coordination, technical expertise and capacity, as well as uncertainty over what the future holds.
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Temperature sensors and monitoring systems should be installed along transport networks, especially around the most vulnerable parts, such as exposed sections of railway track and underground infrastructure with poor ventilation6. Combining temperature sensors with Internet of Things technologies can enable real-time monitoring of conditions. This would allow improved planning for maintenance as well as better-informed, local, dynamic responses to changing weather conditions — for instance, imposing speed restrictions to improve safety.
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Practical assessments should start as soon as possible to test existing heat-adaptation strategies in various geographical contexts. Tempe in Arizona, Abu Dhabi and Singapore are increasing the amount of shade provided for pedestrians, cyclists, passengers and transport workers, such as bus drivers and maintenance staff7. Phoenix, Arizona, has installed ‘cool pavements’, by applying coatings that reflect solar radiation. Spain is using heat sensors on rail tracks to provide early warnings, as well as heat-reflective coatings and paints to limit rail temperature increases. The United Kingdom sets speed limits during heatwaves to prevent rail buckling and reduce the risk of accidents.
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Given uncertainty about the extent and impacts of climate change, governments and cities need to develop ‘resilience toolkits’ for keeping the transport sector running in extreme conditions. Such tools range from simple rules of thumb for local practitioners to ‘digital twins’ of transport systems for monitoring and planning. Current toolkits tend to focus only on local climate risks (see go.nature.com/3sazyuk) or on public health (the NIHHIS, for example).
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