BAKING STREETS: Thermal camera reveals Central London pavements hitting 57C during heatwave

Footage and stills available here

Pavements, rail platforms, building sites and playgrounds across London reached sweltering surface temperatures in the 50-60C range yesterday, according to thermal camera images captured for Greenpeace UK during the record-breaking heatwave.

The series of shots, taken by thermal imaging experts, reveal how extreme heat is putting a huge strain on daily life in the capital, affecting shoppers, passengers, children and outdoor workers. 

Images taken in the heart of the capital show people walking across scorching surfaces in Piccadilly Circus (56C), Oxford Circus (56C), and Regent Street (57C) yesterday afternoon, as air temperatures hovered around 35C. The camera marks higher temperatures in lighter colours and lower ones in darker tones.

On the sunlit overground platform at Highbury & Islington, the camera detected a surface temperature of 62C. At a bus stop on Gray’s Inn Road the pavement temperature reached up to 59C, while the granite paving stones in King’s Cross Square hit a sizzling 54C. The floor of a packed Victoria Line carriage showed a maximum reading of around 40C.

As the mercury soared after noon, many outdoor workers in London were also exposed to searing temperatures. At a roadwork site in Holborn, the churned-up tarmac glows white-hot in the thermal footage, hitting a staggering 65C, while parts of a nearby scaffolding ranged from 40-60C, depending on the material.

At a semi-deserted playground in Islington, the black rubber floor reached up to 53C at 5pm. 

Unlike standard thermometers, which measure air temperature, thermal cameras show how hot the streets, pavements and buildings really get. The data reveals the extreme surface heat people face in urban areas, especially where tarmac, glass and a lack of tree cover turn streets into heat traps. 

Commenting on the findings, Greenpeace UK head of climate Mel Evans said:

“This record-smashing heatwave has turned London into a sticky, sizzling cauldron. This isn’t just weather – it’s a public health emergency driven by fossil fuel giants and their planet-heating emissions. These abnormal temperatures are stretching homes, schools, transport and our own health to breaking point, and yet the government has been caught off guard. Ministers need to stop winging it and deliver a proper extreme heat plan, with cooler homes and schools, safe limits for workers, more shade and green space, and clear protection for the most vulnerable. But adaptation alone won’t be enough. Political leaders must also stop fossil fuel companies from turning up the heat on our planet – and make them pay their fair share to fix the problem they’ve caused.”

ENDS

Photos and footage available for download here.

Notes

The images were taken by TI Thermal Imaging, experts in thermographic inspections, using a FOTRIC Ti7 camera at various Central and North London locations on Wednesday 24 June, between 2pm and 5pm.

Contact: Greenpeace UK press team on 020 7865 8255 and press.uk@greenpeace.org