Report: 98 per cent of Britain's road melted
Experts find recent heatwave liquefied majority of British highways
Skip 1 photos in the image carousel and continue reading
Turn on Javascript to see all the available pictures.
Here's TopGear.com's roving correspondent, Cory Spondent, with his mostly incorrect exclusives from the world of motoring
The vast majority of Britain's roads have melted following two successive heatwaves, according to experts.
Advertisement - Page continues below
Britain's penchant for endless rain, perpetual grey skies and general year-round weather misery meant a few days of uninterrupted sunshine had obliterated 98 per cent of its uniquely ruinous road network.
Now experts are calling for a government task force to create a nationwide fleet of floating tanks able to navigate miles of liquefied tarmac.
'Nobody saw this coming,' a weather expert told TopGear.com. 'More than two consecutive days of sunshine was a story we told our children at bedtimes. Or went abroad to discover and then complain about.
'But back-to-back days of 30-degree heat is categorically not something Britain is accustomed to, and something this country's road network and infrastructure is wholly unprepared for.
Advertisement - Page continues below
'It's all gone. Melted. Every road dissolved beyond recognition and seeping its way back into the Earth's core. Right now, all our cars are basically Arnie in Terminator 2 sinking into the hot lava at the end.
'Only our cars aren't heroically putting their thumbs up,' the expert added.
Meteorologists are predicting cooler temperatures into the next week, with some light and entirely predictable rain showers.
'Light rain? There goes the country's rail services. Bus replacement for you, friends,' a train operator noted.
Top Gear
Newsletter
Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. Look out for your regular round-up of news, reviews and offers in your inbox.
Get all the latest news, reviews and exclusives, direct to your inbox.
Success Your Email*
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
Landslip causes major train delays across Surrey and Sussex
A landslip has caused significant delays and train cancellations across both Surrey and incident happened in the Horley area on Friday evening and National Rail said it expected the disruption to last until the end of means trains between Purley/Redhill and Gatwick Airport may be cancelled, delayed by up to 20 minutes or suspended, says National Rail. Gatwick Express services between Brighton, Gatwick Airport and London Victoria and Thameslink services between Brighton and Cambridge, and Three Bridges and Bedford (stopping via Redhill) will be suspended until the end of the day. A spokesperson for National Rail said: "Currently, the information from the site of the landslip suggests that some repair works are needed before they can reopen all lines. "Until these are done, staff will need to reduce the number of trains running through the area."However, National Rail has not confirmed the cause of the landslip. National Rail advises passengers to check for updates on their train service before travelling. It added tickets would be accepted on the following alternative routes at no extra cost:Southern services on any reasonable route, including between London Victoria and Gatwick AirportThameslink services on any reasonable route, including between London Bridge and Gatwick Airport / BrightonGreat Northern services between Cambridge and London Kings CrossLondon Underground between London TerminalsMetrobus routes between Redhill, Salfords, Horley, Gatwick Airport, Three Bridges and Crawley
BBC News
2 hours ago
- BBC News
Residents urged to be vigilant after woodland fire in Canterbury
The fire service has urged residents to help reduce the risk of wildfires this summer following a woodland Fire & Rescue Service (KFRS) said a dog walker discovered the fire in East Blean Woods in Hoath, fire service said it believed the blaze was caused by a disposable barbecue that had been left unattended while still Djemal, who was walking her dogs through the woods, said: "I could smell smoke, but I couldn't see it, so I wandered for a bit and then I saw it. I was horrified." She added: "We're so lucky to have these woods, and to know someone could just leave a fire like this is gutting."Firefighters extinguished the flames using flexi-packs and a fogging unit, two all-terrain vehicles and one fire incident took place late last month and KFRS is reminding residents to exercise fire safety precautions, especially as warm weather is expected to continue. KFRS crew manager Dave Turner said: "Thankfully Yasimin came across the fire before it could fully develop, but the outcome could've been very different. "During the summer, the ground can be extremely hot and dry, which means a fire can spread quickly and cause devastating consequences for wildlife, property and livelihoods."Mr Turner said leaving any outdoor flame unattended was dangerous. "Items such as disposable barbecues and cigarettes need to be fully cool before being safely disposed of," he added."It's also important to only barbecue in designated areas."
BBC News
2 hours ago
- BBC News
Somerset in Pictures: Sun and Glastonbury clean-up
As Glastonbury Festival came to an end, the sun kept shining over the in Castle Cary made a range of different scare crows, including Spongebob and Harry Kane, while young grebes were spotted on the Somerset a roundup of the best pictures across Somerset this week. What's left of Glastonbury: On Monday, thousands of music fans headed home as Glastonbury Festival came to an end for another year. A team of volunteers cleaned the site to prepare the land for a fallow year in 2026. Cricket match: Matt Henry of Somerset played a shot during Day Two of the Rothesay County Championship Division One match between Somerset and Nottinghamshire at the Cooper Associates County Ground. Rolling hills: The fog rising in Dulverton was captured by Ali on Exmoor this week. Ugly ducklings: Young great crested grebes hitched a ride from their parent on the Somerset Levels. Not so scary: Castle Cary residents have made more than 120 scarecrows for the Britain in Bloom competition, which will be assessed by Royal Horticultural Society judges on Thursday. Feathers McGraw, Spongebob and Harry Kane are among those lining the streets of a town hoping to be recognised for its community efforts. Beaver dams: Conservationists have said restoring rivers on Exmoor to a natural state and introducing beavers can help make landscapes resilient to the increasing risk of drought.
