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Just Stop Oil supporters have stormed Heathrow again in another protest against fossil fuels at the airport within days.
Seven protesters were arrested in Terminal 5 at the busy airport this morning after blocking one of the security gates as holidaymakers queued up.
However, the action failed to disrupt flights as travel continued business as usual, Heathrow Airport confirmed.
It comes after two activists were dragged away on Tuesday after orange paint was sprayed inside Terminal 5.
But some flights are cancelled at London airports today, including at Heathrow, Gatwick and also at City Airport as summer holiday travel in the UK was off to another eventful start.
If you were planning to hit the road today, the motoring expert RAC said drivers should delay their journey until the thunderstorm set to hit the UK passes.
What the thunderstorm means for trains
National Rail has also given a heads up about the potential thunderstorm forecast in the UK later today, coupled with warm and humid weather.
While there is currently no weather related disruption on train lines, National Rail explained what issues could become a problem in extreme weather.
- Heat can cause line-side fires, cause overhead lines to expand and sag and even cause rails to buckle
- Heavy rainfall can cause flooding on tracks
- Flooding can also affect points and signalling equipment which enables trains to move from one line to another
If you’re travelling by rail today, it is worth checking the journey planner with your train company or National Rail, and to carry a water bottle with you.
Travel warning on DLR over the weekend
Passengers on the Docklands Light Railway were warned of reduced service ahead of the weekend.
The latest TfL status update shows that the line will have less trains today, Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
TfL said that a ‘reduced service operates on the entire network.’
Drivers told ‘do not travel’ ahead of thunder
While the thunderstorm is not set to bring an end to the warm temperatures, it is forecast to arrive with heavy downpours.
The motoring expert RAC warned that sudden downpours could quickly turn roads dangerous.
Alice Simpson, RAC’s breakdown spokesperson, said: ‘Sudden downpours have the potential to quickly make the roads far more dangerous places – a fact illustrated by official figures that show an average of 1,660 people are killed or seriously injured every year as a result of bad weather making roads slippery.’
If possible, drivers should ‘delay their journeys until the storm pass,’ Alice said.
Other key things to remember before travelling by car in thunderstorms include sticking to major roads, reducing speeds and always keeping a firm hold of the steering wheel.
To avoid a breakdown, drivers should check oil and coolant levels when the engine is cold, and to top up if levels are low, the RAC advised.