'Travel only if necessary' warns train company as services to and from Northampton reduced during red extreme heat warning
Train passengers are being warned to only travel if necessary over the next few days, as there will be fewer services running to and from Northampton during the red extreme heat warning.
Network Rail has announced a reduced timetable for trains in and out of London Euston from Tuesday June 23 until Thursday June 25 and have also warned that the station in the capital is expected to be “extremely busy”.
The announcement comes after the Met Office issued a rare red warning for extreme heat, which is in place from 9am on Wednesday until 9pm on Thursday, and covers Northampton, some of the midlands, London and a lot of the south of the country.
According to Network Rail, for safety reasons, trains will operate at reduced speeds and to amended timetables, meaning journeys will take longer and there is a heightened risk of delays, cancellations and last-minute alterations.
On Wednesday and Thursday – when the weather is most severe – Network Rail says passengers should only travel if "absolutely necessary”.
Gary Walsh, director for Network Rail's West Coast South route, said: “With weather warnings in place across the country for extreme hot weather, services in and out of London Euston will be reduced this week.
“We strongly advise customers to plan ahead, check their journeys, and only travel if absolutely necessary on the hottest days. If you do need to travel, please allow extra time and carry water to stay cool.
“We're working closely with our train operator partners to protect the reliability of the railway during the extreme heat. This includes running trains at slower speeds at some locations to keep people and our infrastructure safe."
According to the Met Office forecast for Northampton, Tuesday and Wednesday will see highs of 35C, and Thursday and Friday will see highs of 37C. Night time temperatures are not expected to fall below 20C and forecasters are predicting that June’s all-time daily temperature record could be broken.
Following a fatal collision on the other train line in Northamptonshire, which runs from Corby, Kettering and Wellingborough to London St Pancras, trains will not run to and from London until at least Sunday June 28, as recovery work continues.