00:00We're in London, where temperatures could climb close to 40 degrees Celsius this week.
00:04And the heat doesn't just feel uncomfortable, it also puts a major strain on critical infrastructure,
00:09including schools, public health services and transportation.
00:13So how prepared is London for the heat, really?
00:16We meet Andrea Bigger and her children, Walter and Marcy.
00:19Walter's school is ending classes early this week.
00:22Marcy's school is closing completely.
00:24That means Andrea will have to look after them at home.
00:27It's obviously really tricky for lots of people to be able to say, yes, we can just have the kids
00:32at home.
00:33It reminds us all of Covid times, obviously, and how much everybody had to adjust their lives.
00:38Like many across London, Marcy's primary school has no air conditioning and little shade in the playground.
00:44For children, learning in these temperatures is not easy.
00:47It is sort of hard to concentrate when it's really hot and you always have to grab your fan or
00:54drink some water.
00:55And schools are just one part of the city feeling the heat.
00:59Railway passengers like here at Victoria Station have been told to take the train only if absolutely necessary.
01:05And some services have been cancelled altogether.
01:08Trains are going to be disrupted.
01:09Buses will be disrupted.
01:10There should never be that in this world nowadays, you know, with all the technology, I feel.
01:14Oh, no, I don't think London was prepared for this.
01:17I think they could have prepared better.
01:18I think they did well because they actually informed us.
01:21Even at the train station, they advised you to go with a bottle of water.
01:25Back at home, Andrea is trying to make up for the lost school time.
01:29But she says homeschooling in a heatwave is no substitute for a classroom that is safe and cool enough to
01:34learn in.
01:35How can we future-proof all the buildings quickly?
01:38I don't feel like we have the time to wait for reports or investigations.
01:43London has emergency plans in place for dealing with extreme heat.
01:48But this week exposes a longer-term problem.
01:51A city built for wetter and cooler weather now has to function in temperatures that were never expected.
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