London’s scorching Tube raises alarm over Europe’s brutal heat

Bloomberg

The few commuters who braved the heat of London’s Underground transport system had to endure temperatures deemed too hot to safely transport cattle, showing the brutal conditions sweeping through Europe and impacting everything from transport to food and energy production.
Intense heat caused London’s Luton Airport to halt flights for runway repairs, while Wales set a new record and Ireland posted its hottest temperature in more than a century. The hot and dry conditions in countries not used to scorching weather are raising concerns across the region about effects of climate change.
“The climate crisis is intensifying worldwide,” German Economy Minister Robert Habeck said, releasing a study that showed that extreme weather in recent years has cost Europe’s largest economy over 80 billion euros ($81 billion).
The tally of the damage for this summer has just started. More than 600 people have died across the region, and large swathes of France, Italy and Greece face extreme risk of wild fires. The EU has sent three firefighting planes to help battle forest fires — two to
Portugal and one to Slovenia.
Temperatures in London and the south of England might hit a record-setting 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit) this week. Trains on London’s Central and Northern lines were measured by Bloomberg climbed to 37 degrees Celsius, more than the maximum temperature for transporting livestock such as cows and goats, according to UK regulations.
More people worked from home and avoided the commute with footfall dropping 18% in shopping districts near offices in London, according to retail-tracking data from Springboard. Tube journeys were down about the same level from last week, according to Transport for London.
About a third of British rail services won’t be running, and those that do will face restrictions due to the heat, Network Rail spokesman Kevin Groves said. That means a journey from London to York would take four and a half hours, more than double its normal time.
Some companies in Britain have let employees stay home to avoid heated commutes and stifling workplaces. Gymshark Ltd., which makes workout wear and employs almost 700 people in the UK, gave staff Friday and Monday off, calling it a reward for good performance.

Similarly, Blackburn-based drinks exporter Sovereign Beverage Co. Ltd. also extended its weekend break to Monday.
Trade unions are calling for stronger rules to protect workers’ health. At the moment, there’s no regulation on maximum temperatures for people doing work outside.