The Met Office has issued an amber weather warning from Thursday 11 August – Sunday 14 August.
It is now likely that temperatures will exceed the threshold to operate a normal timetable.
If forecasted temperatures emergency speed restrictions will be imposed resulting in a reduced timetable coming into operation at short notice. You should only travel if necessary, if you do travel you should allow plenty of time to make your journey and travel with plenty of water to keep yourself hydrated.
East Midlands Railway services are not affected by strike action being taken by members of the ASLEF union on 13 August.
However, neighbouring train operators who are affected by strike action will be running a significantly reduced service.
Please check before you travel as the below Train Operators will not be running on Saturday 13 August:
Arriva Rail London (London Overground), Avanti West Coast, CrossCountry, GA, Great Western, Hull Trains, LNER, South Eastern and West Midlands Trains
How does hot weather affect the Railway?
Summer is here and temperatures are expected to soar this weekend, journeys by rail can sometimes be affected. Railways are particularly susceptible to changes in temperature, with hot weather able to cause rails to expand, bend or buckle.
Network Rail will be monitoring track temperatures to understand when rails may be at risk of damage which could directly impact the trains. In addition, Network Rail sends out engineers ahead of time to check track condition and carry out any proactive work to minimise disruption.
What are we doing about this?
EMR work closely with Network Rail to ensure the railway runs safely. You can find out more about the work Network Rail do here.
How can I travel comfortably in the hot weather?
For some of us, hot weather is a dream come true, for others, it’s a hot mess. We want you to be comfortable when travelling on our services and that’s why most of our trains have air conditioning.
If you are travelling, please be aware that trains are expected to be busier than usual on Saturday 13th August as some of our neighboroughing rail operators will be running a significantly reduced service as ASLEF union members are on strike. East Midlands Railway services are not directly affected by the strike action. You can find out more here.
Here are our top tips for beating the heat:
Keep hydrated. Carry a bottle of water with you and drink little and often. If you’ve got a refillable bottle, keep it topped up as you travel. Why not download the Refill App here to discover all the places you can refill your water bottle free of charge.
Wear loose, lightweight fabrics; try to keep to natural fibres that won’t make you feel even warmer.
Try to keep in the shade where possible; if you do have to go out in to the sunlight, remember to wear a hat and apply sunscreen.
Avoid alcohol consumption – this can lead to further dehydration and make you feel more unwell.
If you start to feel ill; tell a member of our team. We’ll do what we can to help you.
