A rare red extreme heat warning has been issued in the West Midlands, with the region also covered by a red health warning from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), as National Rail urges passengers to avoid all but essential travel on Wednesday and Thursday
Train passengers across five regions have been urged not to travel over the coming days as a rare red warning for extreme heat has been issued.
The warning is in effect from 9am on Wednesday, June 24 until 9pm on Thursday, June 25, covering Birmingham, Coventry, Warwickshire, Herefordshire and Worcestershire.
The entire West Midlands region is also subject to a red health warning issued by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA). Five further regions, including the East Midlands, South East, South West, London, and East of England, have also been placed under this warning, beginning at 1am on Wednesday and running until 11pm on Thursday.
Chiltern Railways, which runs services between Birmingham and London Marylebone, has warned passengers to expect “significant disruption” due to the sweltering conditions.
Services are set to be drastically reduced, with the operator cautioning that trains may face considerable delays and extremely busy conditions.
Passengers holding tickets for Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday are permitted to use them on Friday, Saturday or Sunday instead.
Refunds will also be on offer for those who decide against travelling.
National Rail has advised commuters throughout the UK to “only travel if absolutely essential on Wednesday and Thursday”.
Jake Kelly, deputy chief executive of Network Rail, said: “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.”
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, said: “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 added: “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.”
A red warning from the Met Office represents the highest level of alert, signalling that hazardous weather conditions are on the way.
Along with significant travel disruption, the severe weather could also pose a serious risk to health or even prove life-threatening, particularly for those considered vulnerable.