Chiltern Railways is urging its passengers, in Aylesbury and beyond, to only travel if necessary while the south of England is dealing with extreme heat.

Customers are cautioned to think twice about travelling on its services between now and Friday. Currently, all of the areas Chiltern Railways serves are under an amber warning for extreme heat. From tomorrow, until Thursday night the entire region will be upgrading to a red warning due to an ongoing heatwave in the region.

Chiltern Railways warns that customers can expect “significant disruption” due to the sweltering weather. The rail operator announced it is running a significantly reduced service and the company says the trains that are running could face disruption.

The provider is planning to run a schedule which is more than 50% lower than its typical weekday timetable. Chiltern Railways advises that tickets bought for Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday, can be used this Friday, Saturday or Sunday instead.

Customers are advised against traveling via train unless temperatures drop.

placeholder image — Customers are advised against traveling via train unless temperatures drop.

Customers with pre-paid tickets choosing not to travel can receive full refunds, but Chiltern Railways advises that these claims must be made by 11.59pm on the day before they are dated.

Michael Stewart, commercial and customer strategy director at Chiltern Railways, said on Monday: “We strongly advise you to avoid travelling over the next three days if possible. Trains are running at greatly reduced levels to ensure everyone's safety, which means you may experience significant delays and very busy conditions.

“If you do need to travel, please stay safe, check your journeys on the morning you travel as planners are still being updated and carry a bottle of water with you at all times.”

Customers who do travel are urged to carry a bottle with them to stay hydrated at all times. They are urged to make space for everyone on board, and asked not to get on the train if they feel unwell, and to get off at a staffed station if they are sick while travelling.

In non-emergency situations, customers are advised against using the passenger emergency alarm between stations.

The trains’ air-cooling systems work better when train doors are closed, the company also advises. Further details on the revised timetable can be found on the Chiltern Railways website here.