Ordnance Survey (OS) has combined national geospatial data with Environment Agency flood datasets to identify where climate-related flooding could disrupt England’s road and rail networks, in a move that highlights the growing role of cross-government data integration in infrastructure planning.
The analysis maps transport infrastructure against high-probability flood zones, showing that an estimated 7,564km of roads - around 12% of the total network - and 3,003km of rail lines, equivalent to 20% of England’s rail network, intersect areas at highest risk of river and sea flooding.
It also identifies more than 1,000 built-up areas where all access roads are at risk of river flooding, raising the prospect that some communities could become fully isolated during severe weather events.
The work combined Environment Agency flood data with OS’s National Geographic Database to assess not just where flooding may occur, but how it could affect connectivity across transport systems.
This includes identifying vulnerable commuter routes, freight corridors and access points into towns and cities, as well as modelling the potential impact of flooding even where defences are in place. The approach marked a shift from location-based flood mapping towards network-level analysis, focusing on how disruption at specific points could have wider economic and social impacts.
The findings point to significant exposure across both local and national infrastructure. OS said the analysis is designed to support government, planners and infrastructure operators in targeting investment and improving resilience as climate risks increase.
Tom Gray, Transport Market Development Lead at OS, said: “The ability of central government, local authorities and planners to rely on comprehensive, accurate geospatial insights is essential to reduce risk, protect communities and strengthen long-term resilience.”
The findings also highlight the potential value of combining datasets held across different public bodies to generate more detailed insight into infrastructure risk. While both OS and the Environment Agency hold established national datasets, bringing them together enabled a more complete view of how flooding could affect interconnected systems rather than individual assets.
(Image courtesy of Ordnance Survey)