People are being advised not to travel on public transport unless it is “absolutely necessary” as services will be reduced due to heatwaves of up to 40°C predicted for the next few days. It comes after the Met Office issued orange and red alerts for “possible serious illness or risk to life”. Transport for London (TfL) chief Andy Lord told LBC there would be reduced services across the network “because of the safety restrictions we have to put in place because of the heat”. London North East Railway (LNER) tweeted: “On Tuesday 19 July, DO NOT TRAVEL between London Kings Cross and south of York & Leeds as there will be no trains running. Travel only if necessary to other destinations.” Avanti West Coast said passengers should only travel if “absolutely necessary” from Sunday to Tuesday as there will be fewer services and possible delays due to “speed restrictions imposed by Network Rail”. During very hot weather, train speed must be limited to reduce the risk of damage to the tracks, which can buckle in extreme cases. Meanwhile, BBC Weather presenter and meteorologist Simon King stressed that temperatures could reach 42C in the East Midlands on Tuesday – tweeting that this level of heat “simply shouldn’t be happening”.
Basic points
Show latest update 1658124945
Boy, 16, dies while swimming in open water amid heatwave warnings
A teenage boy has died while swimming with friends in a canal in Manchester. The 16-year-old was seen struggling in the water at Salford Quays, Greater Manchester, at around 6.15pm on Saturday. The police, fire and ambulance were called and an investigation was carried out. The body of a boy was located and recovered by specialist divers overnight. As the record-breaking heatwave sets in, the force said people should avoid the temptation to cool off in reservoirs, rivers, canals or lakes. Maryam Zakir-Hussain has more:
Boy, 16, dies while swimming with friends in Manchester canal
Police are warning the public about the dangers of swimming in the open sea Stuti Mishra July 18, 2022 7:15 am 1658124045
The heat wave dominates the front pages of the newspapers
Monday’s headlines are dominated by the heatwave, which is set to send temperatures soaring past 40C, prompting the government to declare a national heatwave emergency for the first time. The Guardian and Daily Telegraph express fears of “Monday”, with the Independent adding that ministers have been urged to “take action to make Britain fit to deal with extreme heat”.
What the papers are saying – July 18th
Fears of ‘Collapse Monday’ lead today’s papers as the UK prepares for its first national heat emergency. Stuti Mishra July 18, 2022 07:00 1658122989
Train companies are urging people not to travel
More than a dozen train companies are urging Britons not to travel early next week as the UK’s first red warning for extreme heat comes into force. A total of 21 operators – from Transport for Wales and Gatwick Express to Transpennine Express and Southern – said they would run slower services on Monday and Tuesday after National Rail implemented speed restrictions on its network. Speed restrictions are used by train companies in hot weather to prevent any damage to the tracks and prevent the rails from buckling.
Train companies are urging people not to travel during the heatwave
Cancellations and reduced services take effect on Monday and Tuesday. Stuti Mishra 18 July 2022 06:43 1658121945
Water companies report supply problems
Water providers are experiencing supply problems due to the heatwave, with some reporting lower pressure levels and others warning of further outages. Affinity Water said the heat is leading to lower water pressure in areas including London, Essex and Surrey. The company urged customers to avoid unnecessary water use and said it expected an extra 164 million liters of water would be needed on Monday compared to normal demand.
Water companies are reporting supply problems as the heatwave causes demand to soar
Millions more liters of water are expected to be used on Monday. Stuti Mishra July 18, 2022 6:25 am 1658120819
Editorial: We need to take this heat wave seriously – even if the Prime Minister doesn’t
“While Britons are unaccustomed to such hot weather, the heat wave will undoubtedly bring with it an unwanted increase in sunstroke and heat exhaustion. It is expected. It’s an unprecedented phenomenon in modern times (no doubt when dinosaurs roamed Surrey it was normal) and there’s a natural tendency to get out and enjoy it while it lasts. Before long, of course, UK residents will be shivering in their poorly insulated Victorian verandahs and mid-war Tudor semis in fear of their gas bill.’
Editorial: We need to take this heat wave seriously – even if the Prime Minister doesn’t
Editorial: A man with little to lose but his reputation, Johnson put pleasure above duty and skipped a Cobra meeting called to coordinate the response to the crisis Stuti Mishra July 18, 2022 6:06 am 1658118093
London ‘will be hotter than the Caribbean and the Sahara’ amid emergency alert
London is expected to be 38C amid a heatwave warning, hotter than the Caribbean, Western Sahara and popular holiday destinations in Europe. The rise in temperatures prompted the UK’s Health Safety Executive to issue a level 4 heat warning – described as an “emergency” – while the Met Office issued the UK’s first red extreme heat warning, with both from Monday to Wednesday.
London ‘will be hotter than the Caribbean and the Sahara’ amid emergency alert
The Met Office has predicted the capital could see highs of 38C as the heat wave sweeps across England. Stuti Mishra 18 July 2022 05:21 1658112540
What is heatwave?
The Met Office defines heatwave as “an extended period of heat relative to expected conditions in the area at that time of year, which may be accompanied by high humidity”. The UK occasionally experiences heatwaves, but these are less frequent and less severe than those seen elsewhere around the world. A record was set in the summer of 2019 with a maximum temperature of 38.7C recorded at Cambridge University Botanic Gardens on 25 July.
What is heatwave?
Bright sunshine and hot temperatures are returning to the UK Stuti Mishra 18 July 2022 03:49 1658111421
NHS braces for surge in patients as ‘life-threatening’ heatwave warning comes into force
The NHS is bracing for a rise in the number of people being admitted to hospital as the heatwave, which is forecast to bring record temperatures to the UK, hits the country. Extra measures are in place for ambulance services after a yellow and red alert was issued by the Met Office. The Met Office has issued the UK’s first red alert for much of England – from London to Manchester and York – as record temperatures are forecast for early next week, writes Lamiat Sabin.
NHS braces for surge in patient numbers amid ‘life-threatening’ heatwave warning
The UK’s Health Safety Agency has declared the heatwave a ‘national emergency’ Maryam Zakir-Hussain 18 July 2022 03:30 1658107821
Brits should ‘enjoy the sun’, Dominic Raab says amid warnings people will die from extreme heat
Britons should “enjoy the sunshine” during the heat wave, Dominic Raab said, despite warnings that extreme temperatures could cause thousands of deaths. The Deputy Prime Minister said people should be “hardy” as temperatures are set to soar into the 40s on Monday and Tuesday, writes Joe Middleton. “Obviously, we’re talking about some practical, common-sense advice – stay hydrated, stay out of the sun at the hottest times, wear sunscreen – things like that,” he told Sky News’ Sophy Ridge On Sunday programme.
Britons should ‘enjoy the sun’, says Raab amid extreme heat warnings
Deputy Prime Minister urges Britons to take ‘common sense’ precautions as temperatures rise Maryam Zakir-Hussain July 18, 2022 02:30 1658104221
ICYMI- Boris Johnson Skips Heat Crisis Meeting to ‘Hold Checkers Party’
Boris Johnson has skipped a crisis meeting about the looming life-threatening heat wave, apparently to host a party at his luxury retreat in Chuckers. Ministers and experts gathered at the Cabinet Office on Saturday afternoon for a Cobra meeting to prepare for temperatures reaching 40C on Monday. But the prime minister was 30 miles away in Buckinghamshire at a gathering for friends and family before he was kicked out of his country retreat in early September, writes Rob Merrick.
Boris Johnson skips heat crisis meeting to ‘throw Checkers party’
PM ‘missing in action again’ – after skipping vital Cobra Covid rallies at start of PM Maryam Zakir-Hussain July 18, 2022 01:30
