West Midlands Railway has announced a significantly reduced service for Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday as an extreme heatwave hits the Birmingham region. The rail operator warns passengers to check before travelling on Tuesday and to only make essential journeys on Wednesday and Thursday when a Met Office red warning for extreme heat is in place.
Why heat affects train services
Extreme temperatures can cause rails to expand and buckle, forcing trains to travel more slowly to maintain passenger safety. This leads to reduced capacity and delays across the network.
Key routes affected
The most impacted routes include the Cross City Line between Lichfield and Redditch or Bromsgrove via Birmingham, as well as services between Rugeley Trent Valley and Birmingham International. Other routes with reduced service levels from Tuesday include Wolverhampton to Walsall via Birmingham and the Camp Hill Line from Birmingham New Street to Kings Norton.
Amended timetables will be uploaded to journey planners overnight, with the latest information available at www.wmr.uk/heatwave.
Official statement
Jonny Wiseman, West Midlands Railway's customer experience director, said: "We will be running a significantly reduced service across our network for safety reasons."
Passengers are advised to plan ahead and allow extra time for their journeys during the heatwave period.
