London commuters warned of slower journey times to reduce risk of trains derailing

Intense heat and low rainfall this summer has led to clay under the track drying out

Rail journeys across London and Essex will become slower to reduce the risk of trains derailing. As a result of record-breaking heat this summer and low rainfall, clay that sits under long stretches of railway in Essex has dried out and shrunk.

This has led to safety concerns over the quality of the track. On Friday, August 14 a Greater Anglia train derailed at Wickford in Essex, leading to the continued closure of the track between Billericay and Hockley for emergency repairs.

Although no one was hurt in the incident, a derailment the same day in Lewes, East Sussex led to two people suffering serious injuries and 28 more requiring treatment in hospital. Amended timetables will come into effect on the c2c route on Tuesday, August 25 and along the Greater Anglia between Southend Victoria and London on Tuesday, September 1.

Journeys will take between two and eight minutes longer than usual, leading to adjusted departure and arrival times. Network Rail said speed restrictions are currently not being planned for the Elizabeth line, but added that passengers should still check the TfL Go app before they travel.

These restrictions will remain in place until ground conditions have recovered, but passengers have not yet bee given a timeline for when services will return to normal.

Extra engineering work will take place in East London and Essex throughout the rest of summer. New ballast is being laid down to raise the levels of the track, while engineers are using machines called tampers which help create a solid foundation to allow trains to run smoothly.

Martin Beable, chief operating officer for GBR Anglia, said: “We’re taking action to keep everyone moving safely and reliably while minimising the impact on passengers.

“Our teams are working together across Anglia to keep running the best possible service despite the significant challenges we’re facing because of this exceptionally hot and dry weather.

“We never want our customers to experience disruption, but safety will always be our priority.

“Thank you for bearing with us, and please do check before you travel, particularly if you’re used to getting the same time train every day.”

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