Nearly one in 10 trains have been cancelled across the UK as the heatwave pushes temperatures to 36°C, causing significant rail disruption. According to the trains.im website, 9% of train services were delayed by more than 30 minutes or cancelled as the mercury soared.
Extreme Heat Forces Speed Restrictions
Extreme heat can cause rails to expand and buckle, so when temperatures reach certain thresholds, trains must travel more slowly to maintain passenger safety. This has led to widespread delays and cancellations across the network.
Jonny Wiseman, West Midlands Railway customer experience and commercial director, said: "With extremely high temperatures forecast over the coming days we will be running a significantly reduced service across our network for safety reasons. We advise our customers to check before travelling on Tuesday and to only travel on Wednesday and Thursday if their journey is essential."
Major Operators Cut Services
London North Eastern Railway (LNER) chief executive David Horne confirmed this morning that half of all trains between Leeds and London would not run. In a post on X, he said: "Tickets dated today or tomorrow will be accepted on alternative dates up until 30 June."
Avanti West Coast (AWC) also announced that services had been intentionally cut back from Liverpool and Manchester to London due to the heat.
Record Temperatures Expected
The Met Office has forecast that temperatures could reach 39°C tomorrow, smashing the record-breaking heights seen across the country today. Matthew Lehnert, chief forecaster at the Met Office, said: "This is exceptional heat for June with temperature records expected to be broken this week. Red warnings are reserved for the most severe events and we're expecting significant impacts from this heatwave, with health issues likely, even beyond those who are more vulnerable to the heat.
"High humidity is an additional factor for this heatwave which will mean the heat will feel much more potent for many. When you couple all of this with the high overnight temperatures, with temperatures likely to stay above 20°C for large parts of England and Wales, these combined impacts all increase the potential for significant impacts."
Passengers are advised to check the latest travel information at www.wmr.uk/heatwave before travelling.
