Severe weather disruption on the UK’s rail network reached its highest level in a decade in 2023/24, with rails buckling due to hot weather causing delays amounting to 350,006 minutes – or more than 240 days.
Probes have also been installed on railway tracks to remotely monitor when temperatures rise, allowing speed restrictions to be put in place to prevent lines from buckling.
Last week Transport for Wales (TfW) was forced to cancel all services to Merthyr Tydfil and Aberdare north of Pontypridd for over two days. West Somerset Railway also cancelled all services, including trips on The Flying Scotsman, due to “operational issues” caused by the heat.
Heat-relayed delays have becoming increasingly common as summer temperatures have risen in the UK (Source: Getty)While trains have air conditioning – windows tend to be sealed shut – Bruce Williamson, of passenger campaign group Futurerail, said there were still issues with carriages being properly maintained and modernised.
“And new rolling stock takes a long time to arrive, and there’s very little that can be improved in the short term. Basically, you get the rail network you pay for -and we’re not paying enough.”
One such precaution is to paint sections of the track white, a method commonly used in Italy to reflect the sun’s heat and help prevent rails expanding.
This method is set to take place every spring and could be expanded to more track if funding allows.
Rails in direct sunshine can be as much as 20°C hotter than air temperature. As rails are made from steel, they expand as they get warmer, and can start to curve – otherwise known as “buckling”. Typically, a rail painted white is 5°C to 10°C cooler than one left unpainted.
Hundreds of Network Rail workers have painted tracks white to mitigate summer delays (Source: Network Rail)Sweltering passengers
London Underground services are particularly affected by extreme heat with temperatures on the Tube often reaching five degrees or more above outside conditions.
Victoria Line commuter Salvatore Cafaelli, 60, said earlier this month: “I have no choice, I have to take the Tube for work, but definitely it’s too hot. It’s like I am in a sauna.”
A commuter holds a handheld fan on a Central Line underground train during a heat wave (Source: Bloomberg)
TfL said the Piccadilly Line is expected to be the first deep Tube line to be upgraded with new, air-conditioned trains in the second half of 2026.
Natasha Grice, director at the independent watchdog Transport Focus, said passengers need the provision of emergency water when needed and the proper maintenance of air-cooling systems.
Preparing for unprecedented heat
Mike Kendon, a Met Office climate scientist, said: “Every year that goes by is another upward step on the warming trajectory our climate is on.
A DfT spokesperson said: “We know the effects of climate change will put increasing pressure on our public transport – both now and in the future.
“That’s why we have asked rail operators to develop new strategies to deal with extreme weather.”
What about buses?
While bus users rarely suffer the same heat levels as those forced to use the London Underground, Lydia Horbury, director for England at passenger group Bus Users UK, claimed major improvements across the UK’s bus services were needed.
She said: “The Zero Emission Bus Regional Areas funding programme is helping to modernise fleets with electric and low-emission buses that are quieter, smoother and, importantly, often fitted with better climate control systems.
“Too many communities – especially in rural or less affluent areas – are still served by ageing vehicles without modern comfort standards.
“We need faster rollout of zero-emission, climate-resilient buses, upgrades to older vehicles for better comfort, and improved infrastructure at stops to protect passengers during extreme heat.”
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