Hot weather warning issued to drivers amid rise in vehicle breakdowns
The RAC reported a 10 per cent increase in callouts between Monday and Thursday this week, compared to the same period last week.
Parts of the UK have recently seen temperatures above 30C. London is predicted to reach 30C on Friday, Cardiff 29C.
The weekend is expected to be dry and sunny for most of the UK, with temperatures around 30C on Saturday and 29C Sunday in south-west England.
Alice Simpson, RAC breakdown spokeswoman, said: 'With the extreme heat expected to continue into the weekend, we're warning drivers to take every precaution possible to avoid getting stranded at the side of the road.
'We've already seen a 10 per cent increase in breakdowns this week with faulty tyres being the main cause.
'When temperatures rise, the heat of the air inside tyres does the same, so it's especially important to check the pressure and condition before a long journey.
'This is especially crucial if your car is parked on the street – rather than in a garage – where it's directly exposed to the sun.
'Anyone heading to a beach or a coastal location should also prepare for the conditions by checking their vehicle's coolant level in advance.'
Heat health alerts have been extended into next week for much of England.
The UK Health Security Agency said yellow warnings will remain in place for Yorkshire and the Humber, the East and West Midlands, London and the South East, the South West and the east of England until 6pm on August 18.
Officials have said the country is suffering from 'nationally significant' water shortfalls.
The National Drought Group, which includes the Met Office, regulators, government, water companies and other organisations, has met as five areas of the country remain in drought, with six more in prolonged dry weather status.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
BBC News
an hour ago
- BBC News
Huge £2m tank protecting Warminster rivers is nearly complete
A £2m project to help prevent sewage from entering a town's rivers has almost finished, with a road closure for the works now 400,000l underground tank will hold excess sewage water during storms in Warminster, Wiltshire, stopping it from overflowing into the Were and Wylye rivers. The works meant part of Weymouth Street in the town centre was closed off in one direction for a year.A car park and footpath above the tank will be reinstated over the next couple of weeks. Wessex Water has already installed similar tanks in Chippenham and Bradford-on-Avon over the past two tanks hold rain water, and waste water from homes and businesses, until storms subside, when it can be sent to a water treatment company said the work in Warminster took three months longer than expected because it had to solve an issue of groundwater filling the area for the tank. Andrew Cooper, mayor of Warminster, said the tank should "hopefully make the town safer and ultimately cleaner".He said there had been problems with sewers backing up and the river overflowing. The tank is expected to protect the River Were, which runs through the Smallbrook Meadows nature reserve in the town before joining the Cooper said: "We've created a beautiful water meadow and that's become extremely important to wildlife." Greg Andrews, from YTL Construction, which carried out the work, thanked locals for their "patience, co-operation and understanding"."This work was vital towards helping to protect the environment in Warminster," he project is part of Wessex Water's plans to spend more than £500m to reduce storm overflows from 2025 to 2030.
Daily Record
3 hours ago
- Daily Record
Scots urged to prepare for 'one of biggest public safety exercises in history'
Ian Murray issued the reminder ahead of the UK's second national Emergency Alert test. Scots are being urged to prepare for "one of the biggest public safety exercises in our nation's history". Ian Murray issued the reminder ahead of the UK's second national Emergency Alert test, which will take place at approximately 3pm on Sunday, September 7. The system is designed to help protect lives by delivering urgent safety advice directly to mobile phones during major emergencies. The nationwide drill follows the successful use of the system in Scotland during Storm Éowyn in January this year. The live alert for Storm Éowyn reached millions of mobile phones across Scotland. It delivered a direct and unmissable instruction for people to stay indoors, providing clear guidance amid forecasts of 100mph winds and the threat of flying debris. During the upcoming national test, mobile phones connected to 4G and 5G networks will vibrate and emit a loud siren-like sound for up to ten seconds. A test message will appear on screens, making it clear the alert is a drill and that no action is required. Murray, the Secretary of State for Scotland, said: "It is absolutely vital that people get prompt and accurate information in any emergency. Earlier this year, millions of Scots received a UK Government emergency alert that provided a clear warning about the threat from Storm Éowyn. "To ensure this critical system continues to work effectively, we will run a UK-wide test on Sunday 7 September at around 3pm. This will be one of the biggest public safety exercises in our nation's history, and testing it now is about making sure it works for everyone, right across Scotland and the whole of the UK." Ahead of the test, the UK Government is running a public information campaign to notify people it is taking place, including communications targeted at vulnerable groups such as victims of domestic abuse. The campaign has also featured the first national information video in British Sign Language. The full text of the test message was revealed last week: "This is a test of Emergency Alerts, a UK Government service that will warn you if there's a life-threatening emergency nearby. "You do not need to take any action. In a real emergency, follow the instructions in the alert to keep yourself and others safe. Find simple and effective advice on how to prepare for emergencies at Visit for more information or to view this message in Welsh. Ewch i am ragor o wybodaeth neu i weld y neges hon yn y Gymraeg.'
BBC News
3 hours ago
- BBC News
Surrey campfire warning after second wildfire in a week
A fire chief has issued a further warning about wildfires after a second blaze caused by a campfire in the space of a Fire and Rescue Service said the fire at Churt Common, near Frensham, on Tuesday was caused by an "out-of-control campfire" that spread to an area of roughly one acre (0.4 hectares).It comes after a separate wildfire in Blackheath Common, near Guildford, that spread to nearly 10 acres (four hectares) on Friday and was also caused by a Crow, incident commander at the Churt Common fire, said: "Lighting campfires, especially during hot, dry weather is a huge wildfire risk." He added: "Even if you think the campfire is fully out, there's still a risk."Two fire engines and nine wildfire units were called to the Churt Common fire, while two fire engines, a water carrier and special off road vehicles attended the Blackheath Common Crow also urged parents to speak to their teenage and young adult children about the risks of setting campfires.
