Record heat exposes UK transport problems

The hottest summer in UK history is putting the ageing public transport network to the test, leaving millions of passengers sweltering and prompting calls for urgent upgrades to ensure a comfortable and safe journey for both drivers and passengers.

London boasts one of the world's oldest public transport systems: the first buses began running in 1829. Today, London's bus network carries an average of over 5 million trips per day. However, in its nearly 200 years of operation, the transport system has rarely faced weather as hot as in 2026. Only 500 of London's 9,000 buses are equipped with air conditioning. The rest use a combination of so called "forced ventilation", tinted windows, white roofs and opening main windows to keep passengers cool. Yet, with summers like 2026 expected to become more common in the coming years, many believe these measures are insufficient to ensure a safe and comfortable journey for both passengers and drivers.

Working conditions for London bus drivers during various heatwaves in 2025 and 2026 have become an increasingly contentious issue, prompting some to organise strikes. "The temperature in the cab reaches 45 degrees, so the driver gets incredibly tired, very hot, and this makes driving and concentration extremely difficult. Our union members report nausea and heatstroke, so this is a really dangerous situation," said Nadine Edwards, a regional representative for the UK's Unite the Union. London Mayor Sadiq Khan has called on private bus companies to equip all their vehicles with air conditioning. However, they argue that the state transport company Transport for London (TfL) should foot the bill.

The situation is significantly more complex on the London Underground, where air conditioned trains currently cover about 40 per cent of the network. The world's oldest underground system has been operating since 1863. The first deep tunnels were created by boring through clay. However, clay absorbs heat, and 163 years of train operation and passenger transport generate enormous amounts of heat. And that heat has nowhere to go. So while installing air conditioning on the Tube can cool individual carriages, it will also increase heat output across the rest of the network. "It would be better if all Tube trains had air conditioning," said one passenger. "I usually have a neck fan which helps a lot, but without it today I'm honestly a bit exhausted," said another Tube passenger.

However, passengers may soon get some relief, as TfL plans to introduce new trains by the end of this year. The new Piccadilly line will become the first "deep Tube line" to be fully air conditioned. But this is only one of 11 lines, so the world's oldest underground network still has a long way to go before conditions improve for overheated passengers.

In August, two train derailments occurred in southern England, injuring several people and disrupting services. Investigators have focused on the extreme heat. It appears that the UK's vast and diverse public transport network is racing against time to adapt to the challenges of global warming.

As CCTV+ reports, the record breaking heat in the UK has exposed the vulnerability of transport infrastructure that has been neglected for decades.

Air conditioning in buses and trains is not a luxury but a necessity in the new climate reality. However, technical and financial barriers, especially on the historic Underground, make solving this problem a long term endeavour. The coming years will show whether authorities and private operators can find a compromise and transform London's transport into a system ready for extreme temperatures, or whether passengers will continue to endure stuffiness and health risks.