RAIL services could see disruptions throughout the day as operators warn that today’s heatwave may affect travel throughout Thames Valley.
Great Western Railway and Network Rail have said that reductions in services on many routes are expected, as temperatures are anticipated to be higher than during July’s heatwave.
Those travelling in or through the Thames Valley should plan for changes during the hottest parts of the day.
Calling patterns of some local stopping services between London and Reading will be changed to minimise the use of points, which move trains between tracks, to reduce the risk of points failure.
This mainly affects all-stations services that normally use the slower relief lines, with changes to trains serving Slough, Maidenhead and Twyford.
Direct trains to Oxford will also be reduced.
Operators say that industry information systems will not show the correct train timetable until the day of travel due to the short-notice changes.
Customers are urged to check their routes for affected services before travel, particularly for the hottest part of the day, and allow extra travel time for their journeys.
GWR Operations Director, Richard Rowland, said: “We want to keep our customers safe during the extreme heat, which is why we are taking the precautionary step of amending a small number of services at the hottest times of day.
“We know this could be disruptive to a few people and we’re sorry for the inconvenience it will cause, but customer safety must come first.
“We’d encourage everyone planning to travel to check their journey beforehand.”
Full details and updates to services are available via: gwr.com
