Rail passengers to be told to only travel if essential in heatwave

Rail passengers have been told to only attempt to travel if essential and check trains are running, with extreme heat expected to disrupt services around Britain. Temperatures are forecast to rise to 37C across most of southern England and Wales over the next three days, and potentially to 40C in the most affected areas. One commuter network, Chiltern Railways, which runs between London and Birmingham, has already cancelled more than half of its normal timetable in anticipation of widespread disruption. Network Rail is expected to impose speed restrictions, as it did across the country in 2022 when record temperatures were recorded, eventually closing two lines. Slowing down trains would mean most services are significantly delayed or cancelled. A red extreme heat warning has been issued by the Met Office for Wednesday and Thursday. Network Rail’s advice against non-essential travel will cover lines in the red zone, which is likely to include services on most mainlines from London – affecting long-distance trains across Great Britain. Jake Kelly, the deputy chief executive of Network Rail, said: “Extreme heat can have a significant impact on the railway, so safety must come first. …