The world is changing. We face systemic shocks: pandemics, climate extremes, geopolitical ruptures and cascading failures that stretch across borders and across sectors. For transport systems, the consequences as well as the opportunities are becoming starker. What is certainly becoming clear in each headline grabbing event or even minor disruptions, is that no mode of transport stands alone – we rely on each other. This recognition of the need to think at a network level for system-wide resilience has been central to the formation of the Transport System Resilience Taskforce.

The stability and resilience of transport networks, which are the lifelines of cities and economies, are critical for sustainable development and disaster response capacity. The more connected and coordinated a network is, the more resilient it is. A well-connected multimodal system that is flexible and communicates well in times of disruption as well as the everyday, will deliver a reliable service to customers and passengers. A connected system offers mode switching options and therefore redundancy if some routes are restricted. Examples include mode switching to waterways if landslides close a rail or road link, and conversely, if low water levels due to drought reduce the capacity of inland waterways, switching freight movements to rail or road. From wildfires and catenary failures, to coastal erosion or substation flooding and blackouts like those seen across Iberia this year, we have learnt that transport is vulnerable if we only plan in silos.

This was the central message, perfectly demonstrated in a series of stories told at the 2025 ITF Summit Side Event, hosted by a partnership of global transport associations – UIC, UITP, PIARC and PIANC – under the joint banner of the Transport System Resilience Taskforce and with a contribution from UNECE, who have established the group of experts on Assessment of Climate Change Impacts and Adaptation for Inland Transport.

Greece: operational but inaccessible

During a rare and intense snowstorm during winter 2022 in Athens, the city’s international airport put in place their cold weather response and was able to remain technically operational. Runways were cleared, and internal systems were functional. However, the broader transport network faltered. Road access was severely disrupted, many public transport services were suspended, and staff, passengers and cargo were unable to reach the airport. The incident highlighted a critical vulnerability: the effectiveness of a transport hub depends not only on its internal resilience but also on the reliability of the surrounding infrastructure.

Iberia: power outages

In April in Spain and Portugal this year, widespread power outage affected large parts of both countries, including major cities such as Madrid, Lisbon and Barcelona. The power outages – triggered by extreme heat and grid instability – had a cascading impact on mobility. Electrified rail and metro systems were brought to a standstill, and electric buses were unable to operate. Airports, while equipped with emergency generators, could only maintain partial functionality, leading to delays and operational strain. This event underscored the deep interconnection between energy and transport systems, and the need for integrated resilience planning across both sectors.

France: heatwave-induced infrastructure stress

During the peak of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, southern France experienced temperatures exceeding 41°C, causing overhead rail wires to sag and fail, track to buckle, and signal systems to experience heat-related malfunctions. Severe storms followed, disrupting the high-speed rail service, forcing thousands of passengers to seek a different way to get to their destination. Maintenance crews faced significant challenges operating in extreme conditions. Due to the rail issues, road networks experienced an unexpected increased demand and heat-related disruptions causing long traffic queues and congestion, while also suffering similar infrastructure degradation. The event demonstrated how climate extremes can simultaneously degrade infrastructure and shift modal pressures, requiring coordinated response strategies.

These events are becoming the new normal and highlight that resilience cannot be mode-specific – it must be system-wide.

Positive stories and solutions were also shared. One example came from Leeds, in the UK. When the River Aire flooded Leeds in 2015, the city discovered how vulnerable its transport network was: rail lines were submerged, roads were cut off, buses were diverted, and cycling and walking routes became unusable. The Leeds Flood Alleviation Scheme was the answer – looking across the whole river catchment and not just protecting property, but safeguarding mobility across every mode. Moveable weirs, flood walls and embankments now defend central Leeds and key rail corridors, keeping trains moving even in storm conditions. Upstream, natural flood management – tree planting, leaky dams and wetland restoration – reduces peak flows, easing pressure on roads and bridges. By lowering flood risks citywide, buses can keep to routes, cyclists and pedestrians retain access, and the emergency services can reach people when they are most needed.

Crucially, this is the product of partnership: the council, Environment Agency, Network Rail, businesses and landowners working as one. Leeds shows that when flood management is joined-up, it keeps the whole city connected – by rail, road, bus, bike and foot.

The taskforce discussions show a clear consensus on both the problem and the path forward.

From modal silos to system resilience

Traditionally, resilience efforts in transport have been focused at the modal level. Railways look to build flood-proof tracks. Roads install smart traffic systems. Ports raise quay walls or breakwaters. Each mode develops the tools and protocols to address its specific vulnerabilities. However, recent years have exposed the limitations of this approach and the disruptions of today are not neatly compartmentalised. A breakdown in the energy grid can knock out electrified trains. A mobile network outage can cripple traffic signal systems and logistics hubs. A stuck ship can reconfigure global freight flows in days. What is needed now is a shift in mindset – from modular resilience to systemic resilience. And that means partnership.

The way forward: shared responsibility, shared action

So what does partnership in resilience look like? At the ITF side event, participants articulated a clear and forward-looking agenda for strengthening resilience across transport systems. Central to the discussion was the recognition that shared definitions of resilience and interdependency are essential. Without a common language, efforts to build climate-resilient infrastructure risk fragmentation and misalignment. Establishing these definitions would help ensure that stakeholders – from national governments to local operators – are working toward the same goals with a unified understanding of the importance of cooperation and what resilience entails.

Another key priority was shared understanding of climate projections and risk scenarios. Participants noted that planning for future disruptions becomes ineffective when different agencies and sectors are preparing for divergent futures. By aligning on climate models and risk assumptions, transport planners can better coordinate investments, design standards and emergency protocols across borders and modes.

The importance of data sharing was also emphasised, particularly the exchange of performance metrics and disruption data across transport modes and sectors. Such transparency not only supports evidence-based decision-making but also enables benchmarking and continuous improvement. Participants called for mechanisms to facilitate this exchange, including interoperable platforms and shared data governance frameworks.

Building on past experience was another recurring theme. Participants stressed the need to document and disseminate lessons learned from previous disruptions, including both the challenges faced and the solutions that proved effective. This collective memory can serve as a valuable resource for future planning and response, helping to avoid repeated mistakes and accelerating the uptake of best practices.

To move from planning to preparedness, the group advocated for joint stress tests and simulations. These exercises should not be confined to individual transport modes but should instead reflect the complex interdependencies between them. Simulating cross-modal disruptions can reveal hidden vulnerabilities and improve coordination among stakeholders.

Finally, participants underscored the need to develop coordinated emergency response protocols, with clearly defined roles and communication channels among critical infrastructure providers. In moments of crisis, clarity and coordination are paramount. Establishing these protocols in advance can significantly improve response times and reduce the impact of disruptions.

Resilience is not just an engineering challenge; it is a partnership imperative. The Transport System Resilience Taskforce does not claim to have all the answers. But we are committed to asking the right questions – and bringing the right people together.

Get in contact and find out more here: Adapting to climate changes

The next event featuring the taskforce is on 12 September in Memphis, USA:
https://www.pianc.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Transport-System-Resilience-Programme-for-Registration-Flyer-Final-002.pdf

Register here: Memphis cross-modal resilience event - Pianc

Join us (in person or online) on a journey to:

• Raise awareness of transport system interdependencies and the need for resilient, cross-modal solutions
• Highlight the potential consequences of inaction and a lack of preparedness
• Disseminate good practice case studies, both within modes and across modes
• Identify potential gaps in knowledge and research needs
• Facilitate collective action, continued discussion and knowledge exchange