Great Western Railway (GWR) is warning customers in the Thames Valley to plan for changes to train services during the hottest parts of the day on Monday and Tuesday, as track temperatures are forecast to reach levels requiring speed restrictions.
Extreme heat can cause rails to expand and buckle, so when temperatures reach certain thresholds, trains must run more slowly to keep services safe. This will mean fewer trains and slightly longer journey times during the warmest periods of each day.
While GWR expects to operate the vast majority of services across its network, the reduction follows the Met Office extreme heat weather warning from 01:00 on Monday 22 June until 23:59 on Tuesday 23 June, and further warning of thunderstorms and the risk of flooding on Monday.
The changes will mostly impact local stopping services between Reading and London Paddington, with changes to trains serving Slough, Maidenhead and Twyford.
What customers should do:
- Check before you travel: Where possible, plan ahead and check journey times closer to the time of travel, particularly for the hottest part of the day.
- Allow extra time: Journeys are likely to take longer than usual, so build this into your plans, especially if you have a connection to make or need to be somewhere by a specific time.
- Bring water: Carry water with you, particularly if you expect to be travelling during the hottest periods or waiting on platforms.
If you feel unwell, don’t board: If you are waiting for a train and feel unwell due to the heat, please speak to a member of staff, who will be able to help.
Due to the short-notice changes, industry information systems will not show the correct train timetable until the day of travel.
GWR and Network Rail Performance Director, Daryn McCombe, said: “We want to keep our customers safe during this period of extreme heat, which is why we are taking the precautionary step of amending services at the hottest times of day. We know this is disruptive and we’re sorry for the inconvenience it will cause, but customer safety must come first.
“We’d encourage everyone travelling with us on Monday and Tuesday to check before they travel, allow extra time and bring water with them.”
Image credit: GWR