Rail passengers in Warwickshire warned to only travel if necessary ahead of soaring temperatures

Warwickshire passengers who travel on West Midlands Railway (WMR) services have been encouraged to only travel if essential on Monday (July 18) and Tuesday (July 19) as high temperatures hit the country.

The Met Office has issued a red weather warning for extreme heat, with temperatures set to reach 37°C on Monday and Tuesday.

Extremely hot temperatures can deem railway tracks unsafe, as steel is easily able to absorb heat. Overhead electrical cable wires are also susceptible to high temperatures.

As a result, speed restrictions and reduced timetables will be in place for safety reasons.

Some journeys have already been cancelled, such as the Nuneaton to Leamington service which travels via Coventry.

But some other journeys have reduced services, but this could change again over the weekend so West Midlands Railway is urging people to check its online journey planners on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday to get the most up-to-date information.

A West Midlands Railway spokesperson said: “With such hot weather forecast for early next week, we are encouraging passengers to only travel on Monday and Tuesday if their journey is absolutely necessary.

"Speed restrictions and reduced timetables will be in place across our services on these days, so we are expecting disruption.

“If journeys are essential, we urge passengers to check before they travel and plan ahead, including ensuring they stay hydrated. Revised timetables will be confirmed as soon as possible.”