East Midlands Railway (EMR) has advised customers to travel only if essential as the UK enters its third heatwave in as many months, with temperatures expected to reach 35C in some areas later this week, according to the Met Office.
Service reductions and suspensions
EMR said customers should try to travel before midday to avoid the highest temperatures, expect disruption, and check for timetable changes. Regional services between Nottingham and Worksop, and Nottingham and Leicester, will be suspended from 12pm on Wednesday. Some other services will operate at reduced speeds for safety reasons.
High temperatures can cause rails to buckle, overhead wires to sag, and lineside fires. Steel rails can exceed 50C when air temperature is 30C.
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.”
Temperatures and regional impact
South-east England officially met heatwave criteria on Monday evening after three days above 28C. Temperatures will continue to rise across the UK, with more regions likely to reach local thresholds. Parts of southern England could see 33C on Wednesday and 34C on Thursday, with isolated areas reaching 35C on Friday and Saturday.
A north-south divide will persist through the first half of the week, with Scotland experiencing stronger winds and rain on Tuesday evening and temperatures near average. By the weekend, warm air is forecast to reach northern parts, with increasing humidity and a risk of showers or thunderstorms.
Other rail operators and health warnings
Great Western Railway (GWR) and Network Rail said customers can still travel as normal but should carry water, allow extra time, and check for updates. Daryn McCombe, performance director at GWR and Network Rail, said: “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.”
Amber heat health alerts have been issued by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) for the Midlands and southern England from 9am Wednesday to 9pm Sunday, meaning significant impacts likely on health and social care, including a rise in deaths among those aged 65 and over or with health conditions. Yellow alerts are in place for Yorkshire and northern England for the same period, with potential increases in water-related incidents.
The Met Office warned of possible “tropical nights” where temperatures do not fall below 20C, and UV levels are set to be high or very high across many parts, reaching index eight across most of southern England and Wales on Wednesday. People are advised to use sun protection.
