Commuters on the London Underground are suffering through 'hellish' conditions as temperatures on the network soared to 39.4C on the Central line during the UK's hottest recorded June day. The mercury hit 35.1C in London by 3pm on Wednesday, while the national record of 36.1C was set in Gosport, Hampshire, according to the Met Office.
Central line hottest again
Measurements taken by The Standard on various Tube lines revealed the Central line as the hottest, reaching 39.4C. Other lines recorded: Jubilee 37.2C, Bakerloo 36.4C, Piccadilly 33.7C, Victoria 33.6C, Northern 33C, Metropolitan 22.7C, Hammersmith & City 22.7C, and Elizabeth Line 22.6C.
Passenger Edgar, a painter and decorator, described the conditions as 'crazy' and 'really bad'. He told The Standard: 'My strategy is to try and be at the end of the carriage so I can stand next to the window so it offers a bit of relief. But, as everyone knows, the tunnels are hot so even in the wind it’s warm. It’s insane.' He likened the escalator at Bank station to 'descending into hell'.
Why no air conditioning?
Most Tube lines lack air conditioning due to the age of the system. The oldest tunnels, built in the Victorian era, are too narrow to accommodate air-conditioning equipment, according to Engineering & Technology. Lines without air con include Central, Bakerloo, Jubilee, Victoria, Waterloo & City, Piccadilly, and Northern.
Caroline Russell, Leader of the Green Group on the London Assembly, stressed: 'With sweltering temperatures becoming more common, London is expected to develop a climate comparable to southern European cities, such as Barcelona, over the coming years. We need air conditioning on every Tube and train to keep passengers and staff safe during periods of extreme heat.'
Commuters suffer
Commuter Miguel said 'the older lines are terrible', adding: 'Obviously they're in the sun and they come out of the line sweltering, no AC, you know. I don't know how we can survive really.' Another passenger, Dillan, noted: 'I normally take the Jubilee line and the Metropolitan line [...] and to be honest with you, I was sweating buckets within the first two stops.'
The heatwave, which has triggered health warnings, school closures, and transport disruption, is driven by a 'heat-dome' over western Europe. The Met Office's Professor Stephen Belcher commented: 'Human induced climate change has made events like this more likely and more intense. To see temperatures like this in the UK in June is sobering.' He warned of significant health implications from heat stress, as well as impacts on transport, energy, and water supply.
TfL response
Nick Dent, TfL’s director of customer operations, said: 'We’re working to ensure our transport services remain resilient in the face of more extreme and frequent hot weather events. We are investing millions as part of our continuous work to improve the network, which includes introducing new trains to meet growing customer numbers whilst providing more comfortable journeys.' He added that energy-efficient solutions on new trains reduce heat generated, and TfL is exploring innovative solutions to keep passengers cool.
