East Midlands Railway (EMR) has warned customers to travel only if essential and to complete journeys before midday this week, as the UK enters its third heatwave in three months with temperatures expected to reach 35°C in some areas. The company has cancelled some services and reduced speeds on others to prevent rail buckling and other heat-related issues.
Service Changes and Safety Measures
EMR announced that regional services between Nottingham and Worksop, and Nottingham and Leicester, will be suspended from 12pm on Wednesday to minimise the impact of extreme heat on the railway. Other services will operate at reduced speeds for safety reasons. High temperatures can cause steel rails to exceed 50°C when air temperatures reach 30°C, leading to buckling, sagging overhead wires, and lineside fires.
Philippa Cresswell, customer experience director at EMR, said: “The hot weather means we’ll need to make some temporary changes to our services to keep the railway operating safely. If you do need to travel and the journey is essential, we’d recommend travelling before midday and checking your journey before setting off. We appreciate these changes may inconvenience some customers and we’d like to thank everyone for their patience and understanding while we work to keep people moving safely.”
Impact on Other Regions and Operators
Great Western Railway (GWR) and Network Rail issued a joint statement saying customers can travel as normal but should carry water, allow extra time, and check updates. Daryn McCombe, performance director at GWR and Network Rail, stated: “We want to keep our customers safe during this next heatwave, which is why we are taking the precautionary step of amending a small number of services at the hottest times of day. We know this could be disruptive to a few people and we’re sorry for the inconvenience it will cause, but customer safety must come first.”
South-east England met the heatwave criteria on Monday evening after three days above 28°C. Temperatures will rise across the UK throughout the week, with parts of southern England reaching 33°C on Wednesday and 34°C on Thursday, and isolated areas hitting 35°C on Friday and Saturday. A north-south divide will persist early in the week, with Scotland experiencing stronger winds and rain, but by the weekend, warm air will reach northern parts, bringing humidity and potential thunderstorms.
Health Alerts and Safety Advice
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has issued amber heat health alerts for the Midlands and southern England from 9am Wednesday to 9pm Sunday, warning of significant impacts on health and social care, including a rise in deaths among those aged 65 and over or with health conditions. Yellow alerts cover Yorkshire and northern England for the same period, with possible similar impacts and an increased risk of water-related incidents such as cold water shock and drowning.
The Met Office warned of possible “tropical nights” where temperatures do not fall below 20°C, and high to very high UV levels across many parts of the UK, reaching an index of eight in southern England and Wales on Wednesday. People are advised to use sun protection and stay hydrated.
