Millions have been urged to work from home during the peak of the heat wave next week as temperatures hit 40C.
The extreme heat, which is expected to peak on Tuesday with record temperatures, has prompted the Met Office to issue a red “danger to life” warning.
Transport for London (TfL) advises passengers to only travel for “essential journeys”.
Forecasters say there is an 80 percent chance Tuesday the mercury will exceed the UK record temperature of 38.7C (101.7F) set in Cambridge in 2019.
After chairing Cobra’s second emergency meeting on the heatwave, cabinet minister Keith Malthouse told the BBC: “Obviously transport providers are sending messages to people that they should only travel if they really have to on Monday and Tuesday.
“Services will be significantly affected. The heat will affect the tracks, for example, so the trains have to run more slowly. There may be fewer services. People should be on the lookout for disruptions.
“If they don’t have to travel, it might be a time to work from home.”
The extreme heat is expected to peak on Tuesday as record temperatures for the UK, with 40C predicted in some parts of the country
(AP)
It comes after the UK’s Health Safety Agency issued a level four health warning for the first time – which carries a warning of fainting and healthy people can become ill and even die from the heat.
The threshold is reached when a heatwave is “so severe” or “prolonged” that its impact extends beyond the health sector – which faces intense pressure from high temperatures.
Dr Claire Bronze, 38, who is a consultant in emergency care in London, said the extreme weather had been a “nightmare”, adding that she was worried about the effect the hot weather would have on patients and staff.
(PA Graphics)
“A lot of hospital buildings are very old, especially in London, and a lot of them don’t have air conditioning and windows that don’t open – so they’re extremely hot,” Dr Bronze said.
“Some staff still have to wear PPE – plastic aprons, masks, gloves – over their normal uniform, which, as you can imagine, means people will quickly get very hot and dehydrated.
“Staff are struggling to go on holidays because it’s very busy and on top of that in the NHS we also have so many staff sick with Covid at the moment.”
Amber and red weather warnings for the UK
(PA Graphics)
As the UK swelters in the heat, countries across Europe are suffering from devastating bushfires as tens of thousands of acres have been destroyed.
Police forces in the UK have issued a warning following a series of bushfires in a moorland near Manchester which officers now believe were started deliberately.
The fire started last weekend and engulfed part of Saddleworth Moor near a car park near Dovestone Reservoir.
Following the fire, police warned the public not to have barbecues or campfires in the countryside or light fires deliberately.
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