Press release -
Rail passengers in West Midlands warned to check before travelling in extreme heat
Rail passengers across the West Midlands are being advised to check their journeys before travelling on Thursday (25 July) as extremely high temperatures hit the region.
With record-breaking temperatures of up to 38°C forecast, the heat at the side of the railway track will be in excess of 50°C and Network Rail has imposed blanket speed restrictions on parts of the network in an attempt to prevent rails from buckling, affecting some services.
As a consequence, fewer trains than usual will be able to run on parts of the network and passengers are advised to check their journeys before travelling by visiting the West Midlands Railway website or National Rail Enquiries.
Richard Brooks, customer experience director for West Midlands Railway, said: “Extreme heat causes issues on the track and we are taking sensible precautions with our service in order to keep the railway moving. Passengers should check their journeys before travelling.
“It is crucial that passengers remain hydrated and we advise our customers to carry water with them if possible. If passengers feel ill on board a train they should not attempt to stop it, but instead seek help at the next station.”
Passengers who are delayed on their journeys as a result of the extreme heat are encouraged to claim compensation via the Delay Repay scheme.
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About West Midlands Trains
For further information on this release, call our press office on 03300 955150 or email press.office@wmtrains.co.uk
West Midlands Trains operates both West Midlands Railway and London Northwestern Railway services.
- London Northwestern Railway services operate between Liverpool and Birmingham, and on the West Coast mainline to and from London Euston.
- West Midlands Railway services operate to destinations across the West Midlands via Birmingham New Street.
For more information on these services visit westmidlandsrailway.co.uk or londonnorthwesternrailway.co.uk
The West Midlands Trains franchise started on 10 December 2017 and will run until 2025/26.
West Midlands Trains operates 1,300 services a day, manages 150 stations and provides over 70 million passenger journeys a year. Over the course of the franchise, West Midlands Trains will be investing £1 billion into the rail network to deliver new trains, improved routes and station upgrades. This will include 400 new train carriages across the network and space for an extra 85,000 passengers into Birmingham and London at peak times.
The franchise is a joint venture between Abellio (70.1% share) and East Japan Railway Company / Mitsui & Co., Ltd (29.9% share in a 50:50 split). Abellio is the international passenger transport subsidiary of the Dutch national railway company, Nederlandse Spoorwegen. In the UK, Abelllio operates ScotRail and Greater Anglia train services, Merseyrail services in a joint venture with Serco and buses through Abellio London. For more information visit www.abellio.com
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