Weekend travel across the UK faces disruption as workers at East Midlands Railway (EMR) undertake strike action on Sunday and the bank holiday Monday, while Network Rail has scheduled signalling upgrades that will affect London services. The Met Office has also signalled a change from this summer’s warmth towards more unsettled conditions, with the possibility of heavy rain, thunderstorms and localised flooding.
What is happening on the railways
Members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) at EMR will strike on both Sunday and bank holiday Monday over safety disputes. EMR has said it will operate a ‘significantly reduced’ timetable to and from London on those days and has advised people to make only essential journeys and to check travel updates before setting out. Passengers heading to major events such as Reading and Leeds festivals and London’s Notting Hill Carnival should expect particularly busy services where trains are running.
Separately, there will be no LNER trains between London King’s Cross and Peterborough on Sunday while Network Rail carries out digital signalling upgrades. The combination of strike action and the planned engineering work means services to and from London St Pancras are expected to be extremely busy.
| Issue | When | Impact |
|---|---|---|
| EMR RMT strike | Sunday & bank holiday Monday | Significantly reduced timetable to/from London; essential journeys only advised |
| Network Rail signalling upgrades | Sunday | No LNER trains between King’s Cross and Peterborough |
The weather picture — what to expect
The Met Office has warned the bank holiday marks a “transition from late-summer sunshine to a more unsettled pattern.” Over the coming days there is potential for heavy rain, thunderstorms and localised flooding. With that in mind, people planning outdoor activities should keep an eye on forecasts as details may change.
“There is the potential for heavy rain, thunderstorms and localised flooding, making it worthwhile keeping up to date with the latest forecast as details become clearer,”
The warning underlines that a period of warmer, drier weather is not guaranteed to continue into the long weekend. Event-goers and those travelling should be prepared for the possibility of sudden showers or thunderstorms, which can affect roads and public transport, and create additional delays or cancellations alongside the industrial action and engineering work.
Practical steps for travellers and festival goers
Given the combination of industrial action, planned engineering work and a less settled forecast, here are practical actions to reduce disruption:
- Check before you travel: verify the status of your train on the operator’s website or app and allow extra time for journeys.
- Consider alternatives: where possible, use routes not affected by the EMR strike or the LNER engineering works, or postpone non-essential travel.
- Prepare for wet weather: pack waterproofs and a phone power bank; for outdoor events, check refund or transfer policies in case severe weather forces cancellation.
- Monitor local alerts: follow Met Office updates and any local travel advisories for flooding or thunderstorm warnings.
Confidence in the broad change to more unsettled conditions is moderate; the timing, location and intensity of any heavy showers or thunderstorms will be refined in the coming days. Combining that evolving forecast with confirmed rail timetables will give the clearest picture of disruption for specific routes and events.
Those with essential journeys are advised to plan carefully and allow extra time. For non-essential trips, consider delaying travel until after the strike days or choosing alternative modes where feasible. Keeping abreast of both weather updates from the Met Office and service bulletins from rail operators remains the best way to avoid being caught out this bank holiday.
