Heatwave: London fire chief calls for urgent barbecue ban as blazes rage in record heat July 19, 2022 An urgent and immediate ban on disposable barbecues has been called for by the London Fire Brigade as multiple blazes rage across the country. The emergency service said it had attended more than 1,000 grass and open land fires since the start of June, as the UK recorded its hottest ever temperature today. The Brigade’s [...]
Londoners heed call not to travel in extreme heat with near 50 per cent drop in Tube use from pre-Covid July 19, 2022 Londoners are heeding the government’s advice and staying at home due to the extreme heat, with entries and exits on the train network down almost 50 per cent. During the morning rush-hour on Tuesday, there were 1.03 commuters using the Underground, marking a 47 per cent drop on pre-pandemic levels. This was also 30 per [...]
Heatwave: Firefighters tackling two blazes in south London July 19, 2022 Parts of south London were engulfed with flames on the hottest day ever recorded, with firefighters tackling two blazes simultaneously. Emergency services attended to two grass fires in Croydon as the heatwave continues. Four fire engines and 25 staff responded to the emergency in the woodlands on Oaks Road in Croydon just after midday. Another [...]
Heatwave: 40c recorded for first time ever in UK at Heathrow July 19, 2022 History has been made with the 40 degree barrier mark being broken for the first time ever, recorded at London’s Heathrow airport. The news comes after the Met Office issued an extreme level four red weather warning for Monday and Tuesday, with it expected to exceed 40 degrees. Earlier in the day, Heathrow said there [...]
Rail network unable to cope with extreme heat as track hits 62C: ‘Just not built to withstand this temperature’ July 19, 2022 The hottest railway track reached a scorching 62C on Monday, as the Transport Secretary admitted it will take decades to upgrade existing lines to be more resilient. Grant Shapps conceded the UK’s transport network cannot cope with the extreme heat, saying that the Victorian-era infrastructure “just wasn’t built to withstand this type of temperature”. On [...]
Heatwave continues: Britain prepares for scorching temperatures as rail, retail and airports face disruption July 19, 2022 Brits are set to face temperatures of up to 41c today which is likely to be the hottest day on record. The country is struggling to cope with the extreme temperatures, with Luton Airport temporarily grounding all flights yesterday due to the heat, which melted a part of the tarmac. London’s transport network continues to [...]
Heatwave: London Luton Airport suspends all flights as high temperatures damage runway July 18, 2022 London Luton Airport has halted all flights as record high temperatures damaged the runway. Temperatures in London are currently 38c as England faces an unprecedented heatwave that has caused disruptions to travel. “Following today’s high temperatures, a surface defect was identified on the runway. Engineers were called immediately to site and repair works are currently [...]
Heatwave: Severe delays on almost all tube lines as journeys down by 18 per cent from last week July 18, 2022 Londoners have stayed at home to avoid the extreme heat and travel disruption, with a marked decline in the number of journeys made today. London Mayor Sadiq Khan warned the train network would be operating with speed restrictions, which may cause delays, and commuters should consider working at home. On Monday morning, a number of [...]
Transport secretary outlines new Charter to ensure travellers know their rights this summer July 17, 2022 The transport secretary today outlined a new Charter to ensure that travellers know their rights when it comes to flight delays and cancellations this summer. The government’s Aviation Passenger Charter, which was developed alongside industry, consumer and disability groups, seeks to give holidaymakers confidence for their travels, from booking, all the way to their return [...]
Union boss says crippling rail strikes to go ahead as no one is ‘coming to the table’ July 17, 2022 Crippling rail strikes are set to go ahead in just two weeks as train company bosses are not “coming to the table”, according to the head of the UK train drivers’ union. Mick Whelan, general secretary of the Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen (Aslef) union, said “when train drivers don’t come to work, [...]