Rail operators have been told to draw up plans to tackle heatwave delays and “sauna”-like train carriages as the UK grapples with record-breaking summer temperatures.
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.
Rail bosses are already rolling out a number of new tactics to deal with soaring heat, including painting tracks white to limit disruption.
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.
However, summer heatwaves – which have already seen temperatures reach 35.8C earlier this month – have seen some lines suspended due to track defects and hot weather.
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)The Government has now called on the UK’s rail operators to come up with plans to improve passenger comfort and reliability, with plans due to be submitted to the Department of Transport (DfT) by January.
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.
“But that requires proper funding and the industry is under constant pressure to cut cost, which leads to issues with things like air con. As a result passengers are left to suffer the consequences.
“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.”
Network Rail is already introducing plans to cope with extreme heatwaves, to prevent delays as the sun expands rails, causing trains to travel at slower speeds and services to be cancelled.
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.
In April, hundreds of Network Rail workers armed with brushes, rollers and approximately 1,500 litres of white paint took to the tracks in a bid to minimise delays.
This method is set to take place every spring and could be expanded to more track if funding allows.
Network Rail said the temperature of tracks will be “much much higher” than the air temperature and “there is only so much that paint can achieve before we may have to take action to slow trains down in some places”.
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
The Government has also called on the Train Operating Companies (TOCs) to ensure passengers are protected from extreme heat in stations and on trains.
London Underground services are particularly affected by extreme heat with temperatures on the Tube often reaching five degrees or more above outside conditions.
During the 2022 heatwave, temperatures of above 40°C were recorded on the network and the Victoria Lone recorded an average temperature of 28°C for the whole of last year.
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.”
Transport for London (TfL) has said it is looking to introduce air conditioning on more services, having installed cooling systems on its state-of-the-art Elizabeth Line, which was opened in 2022.
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.
“Subject to funding, this new model of air-conditioned trains could be used on other lines,” TfL said. “We continue to explore what else might be possible in the future, subject to funding, such as the potential for cooling panels across the network.”
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
The Department of Transport (DfT) is making the demand of train companies and Network Rail, which maintains tracks and signaling, after the Met Office said the recent 35°C heatwave is set to become an annual fixture due to climate change earlier this week.
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.
“Observations show that our climate in the UK is now notably different to what it was just a few decades ago.”
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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