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
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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 ‘misses in action again’ – after skipping vital Cobra Covid rallies at start of PM Maryam Zakir-Hussain July 18, 2022 01:30 1658100621
Use these effective tips to beat the heat if you don’t have AC
As the heatwave approaches, it’s important to know how to keep your home cool, especially if you don’t have air conditioning. From closing your windows during the day to building your own DIY AC, here’s what you can do to lower the temperature in your home.
How to keep your home cool in a heatwave
How to keep the house cool in a heat wave Maryam Zakir-Hussain 18 July 2022 00:30 1658093123
Concerns for someone’s well-being in the water
Emergency services launched an investigation after receiving reports of concern for the welfare of a man who was seen in a river in Northumberland on Sunday. A North East Ambulance Service spokesman said: “We were called at 4.12pm. this afternoon to reports of concerns about someone in the water off Piper Road in Ovingham. “We currently have seven resources on scene, but we are unable to provide any further information at this time.” Northumbria Police tweeted: “Just before 4.15pm. today we received a report of concern for the welfare of a man seen in the river near Ovingham. “Emergency services have been deployed to the area and remain at the scene to locate the man and bring him to safety. “There is a large presence of many operators in the area and we would ask the public not to congregate and avoid the area where possible.” Katy Clifton July 17, 2022 10:25 p.m 1658089836
The government is called to act now
Ministers have been urged to take action to make Britain more resilient to extreme heat as the country faces temperatures above 40C for the first time. Richard Millar, head of adaptation at the Commission on Climate Change, which advises the government, told the Independent that around 2,000 people die each year from heat-related injuries and illnesses in the UK, but this number could rise to about 7,000 by mid-century. The government is not acting urgently to adapt to climate change.
Government ‘must act now’ to protect against extreme heat as UK braces for 40C
The government declared a national heat emergency for the first time on Friday, saying even fit and healthy people are at risk of dying from the heat. Katy Clifton July 17, 2022 9:30 pm 1658088032
Truss and Sunak’s view of the net zero goal
Meanwhile, Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said she supported the target but “we have to deliver it in a way that doesn’t hurt people and businesses”, underlining her plan for a moratorium on the green levy on energy bills. Rishi Sunak supported the goal, saying it was about the legacy left to children and grandchildren. “But we have to bring people with us and if we go too hard and too fast then we’re going to lose people and that’s no way to get there,” he said. Katy Clifton July 17, 2022 9:00 p.m 1658086232
Tory opponents on climate targets
As temperatures prepare to hit record highs, in tonight’s Tory leadership debate, Penny Mordaunt has committed to the goal of achieving net zero emissions by 2050, but it “must not screw people over”. Tom Tugendhat told the ITV debate that he was committed to “making sure we deliver the nuclear reactors to keep us green”, supporting carbon capture and storage projects and changing “the way we do wind farms” to deliver them faster. Kemi Badenoch said the 2050 target was for a period when none of them would be in power “to be accountable for it”. “If there are things in the plan that will bankrupt this country, I will change them, if there are things in the plan that will make life difficult for ordinary people, I will change them,” he said. “I believe in climate change, but we have to do it in a sustainable way.” Katy Clifton July 17, 2022 8:30 pm 1658084682
Water providers face 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. “Because of the hot weather, many of us are using a lot more water,” the provider said. “This means you may see lower pressure or no water at all when demand is higher in your area.” Katy Clifton July 17, 2022 8:04 p.m
