A rare red weather warning for extreme heat has been issued covering Birmingham and the West Midlands, prompting National Rail to urge passengers to 'only travel if absolutely essential' on Wednesday and Thursday.
Red Warning Details
The alert is active from 9am on Wednesday, June 24 through to 9pm on Thursday, June 25 and includes Birmingham, Coventry, Warwickshire, Herefordshire and Worcestershire. The entire West Midlands is additionally subject to a red health alert issued by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA).
Five further regions, comprising the East Midlands, South East, South West, London, and east of England have similarly received this alert, commencing at 1am on Wednesday and continuing until 11pm on Thursday.
Railway Disruption
Chiltern Railways, which runs services linking Birmingham and London Marylebone, stated that travellers would face 'significant disruption' due to the severe heat. Services are anticipated to be substantially reduced with the operator noting that trains may experience disruption, with considerable delays and extremely crowded conditions.
Those holding tickets for the railway on Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday can utilise them on Friday, Saturday or Sunday as an alternative. Refunds will likewise be offered for passengers who opt not to travel.
National Rail Advice
Transport passengers throughout the entire UK have been urged by National Rail to 'only travel if absolutely essential on Wednesday and Thursday'.
Jake Kelly, deputy chief executive of Network Rail, stated: 'Extreme heat can have a significant impact on the railway, so safety must come first. We're asking passengers to check before travelling on Tuesday, and only travel if absolutely essential on Wednesday and Thursday if they are going to, from or within the red warning zone as temperatures are expected to peak.'
'If you do need to travel in this area or outside of it where it will still be hot, please plan ahead, allow extra time and take necessary precautions, such as carrying water, to stay safe. We thank passengers for their patience and understanding during this period.'
TfL Warning
Transport for London (TfL) has also cautioned commuters about potential disruption to rail and tube services, warning that extreme heat on board could result in temporary speed restrictions and reduced services.
Claire Mann, TfL's chief operating officer, commented: 'Customers should be aware that, given the very high temperatures that are forecast, we are likely to see some disruption to rail and Tube services - with rail temperatures likely to lead to temporary speed restrictions and therefore reduced services in some cases.'
'This will vary by line, with some services that share parts of the overground rail network - like the Overground and the Elizabeth line - likely to be more affected.' Mann went on to say: 'We expect bus services to run as normal although, during periods of hot weather, we are encouraging customers to carry water with them when they travel on any of our services.'
Met Office Warning
The Met Office's red warning represents the highest tier of alert and signals that hazardous weather conditions are anticipated. Beyond significant transport disruption, the weather situation may also result in severe illness or pose a threat to life, particularly for those considered vulnerable.
