London Mayor, Sadiq Khan has urged the public to only travel if necessary, and has issued an air pollution alert for Monday.
On Friday, Mr Khan convened a special meeting of the Mayors Advisory Group with key senior officials from agencies including the NHS, the Met Police, London Fire Brigade, London Ambulance Service, London Councils and Transport for London – to ensure London’s agencies have a robust plan in place to deal with the level four heat alert.
He added: “I need to be clear with all Londoners that the next few days will see temperatures that we have never experienced in this city.
“This hot weather is normally something we all welcome but this heatwave brings with it a potential threat to life and means that all of us are going to have to change our routines in order to stay safe. It is vital that we all take sensible precautions to look after ourselves and help reduce the pressure on our emergency services who will be very busy in this extreme heat.
“Londoners need to exercise caution on Monday and Tuesday. This includes only using public transport if your journey is absolutely necessary – and if you do so, plan ahead, carry water and be prepared for significant delays, particularly on the London Underground which will be running with speed restrictions.
“On Monday and Tuesday, Londoners who do not have to travel to their place of work, should work where they feel most comfortable. For many this will mean staying at home – while others may prefer to go to office spaces which may be cooler and air conditioned.
“Remember, these temperatures pose a danger to all Londoners, no matter how fit and healthy they may be. I am also calling for Londoners to continue to look out for the most vulnerable, including the elderly, those living alone, and those with chronic or severe illnesses.”
The current heatwave is set to peak on Tuesday, with an 80% chance of the mercury topping the UK’s record temperature of 38.7C (101.7F) set in Cambridge in 2019.
Transport for London (TfL) is advising passengers to only travel for “essential journeys”.
The Met Office has issued an amber warning for heat covering much of England and Wales from Sunday until Tuesday.
There is a 50% chance of temperatures reaching 40C somewhere in the UK, likely along the A1 corridor, with the Met Office also issuing its first red warning for extreme heat.
Read more via The Evening Standard/ITV News
