Worst storm in decades grinds Britain to a halt: Chaos as scores of flights and trains are cancelled
Worst storm in decades grinds Britain to a halt: Chaos as scores of flights and trains are cancelled, Network Rail boss tells passengers NOT to travel and vehicles are told to stay off motorways
Britons are today being urged to stay at home as forecasters fear Storm EuniceTrains and flights were cancelled as a red weather warning for winds issued Lorry, caravan and motorbike drivers are warned to stay off motorwaysNetwork Rail’s Jake Kelly warned passengers to stay at home where possible
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Storm Eunice is expected to bring chaos to roads, railways and airports today as the worst storm in decades sees scores of flight and train cancellations.
Britons are today being urged to stay at home as forecasters fear Storm Eunice will be the worst to hit the UK in 30 years – as lorry, caravan and motorbike drivers are warned to stay off motorways.
Jake Kelly, from Network rail, told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme passengers are ‘very very strongly advised not to travel’.
Trains and flights have been cancelled after National Highways and the Met Office issued a severe weather alert for strong winds covering the whole of the National Highways strategic road network – motorways and some A roads in England – from 6am to 6pm.
The former said there is a ‘particularly high risk’ that high-sided vehicles and other ‘vulnerable’ vehicles such as caravans and motorbikes could be blown over. Those using such vehicles were told not to travel on bridges, viaducts and exposed highways throughout England.
Millions were last night told to remain indoors, work from home, cancel travel plans and stay away from the coast as the storm began to sweep across Britain.
Britons are today being urged to stay at home as forecasters fear Storm Eunice will be the worst to hit the UK in 30 years – as lorry, caravan and motorbike drivers are warned to stay off motorways. Pictured, Birmingham City Centre
Jake Kelly, from Network rail , told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme passengers are ‘very very strongly advised not to travel’. Pictured, cancelled train from Birmingham New Street
Trains and flights have been cancelled after National Highways and the Met Office issued a severe weather alert for strong winds. Pictured, the list of cancelled flights from London City Airport
Experts are concerned the conditions could create an extremely dangerous weather phenomenon known as the ‘sting jet’ – a narrow, focused region of exceptionally strong and destructive wind.
It would be the first instance of such an event since the Great Storm of 1987 as Boris Johnson yesterday said the Army was on standby to help those affected.
Families have been warned to expect falling trees, flying debris, severe flooding, roofs blown off and downed power lines. There are also fears of blocked roads and rail routes, disruption to flights and the threat of 40ft waves on Britain’s shores.
Forecasters are especially worried because the storm is hitting during the morning rush hour – and in heavily populated areas.
Last night, much of the country began closing down in anticipation of its arrival. Some rail and bus networks announced they would shut completely.
This morning a train due to arrive in Paddington from Bristol this morning was more than 40 minutes late, while others – to Didcot Parkway and Bristol Temple Meads – were cancelled.
Eastern Airways axed its London-Gatwick service and Exeter Airport has cancelled three domestic flights. Some 80 British Airways flights in and out of Heathrow and London City have been cancelled, while Scottish airline LoganAir cancelled 32 – all flights serving England and Wales.
Jet2 has delayed a couple of flights to Tenerife and Turkey, which may fly later this afternoon once the worst of the storm has passed.
Train firms on the East and West Coast main line, including LNER, Grand Central and Avanti West Coast, all say passengers booked to travel today can switch to other days without penalty.
Rail passengers who do try to make journeys today face much slower trips, with emergency speed restrictions in place and sharply reduced services. Widespread flight disruption is also expected.
East Midlands Railway has advised that trains to and from London St Pancras ‘may be withdrawn at short notice’ due to Storm Eunice.
London has been put on red alert for Storm Eunice as the Met Office issued the most extreme weather warning for the capital and south east – with a 100mph ‘sting jet’ tempest expected to hit. Right, on Saturday there will be a yellow warning over the south west of England and Wales
A commuter walks to work in the snow in Burnopfield, County Durham this morning as Storm Eunice arrives in the UK
‘You should only travel if your journey is unavoidable,’ the firm added on Twitter.
National Rail said there would be no trains between Nottingham and Skegness until about 8am, and Northern said it was advising customers ‘NOT TO TRAVEL across the Northern network’.
Mr Kelly, of Network Rail, added: ‘It’s going to be a very difficult day. Fundamentally it’s right to expect lots of trees will be blown down and there’ll be other damage. There will be a lot of disruption.
‘We are going to run a service for those who absolutely need to travel but it’ll be disrupted. In a small number of places there are no trains at all. The south west coast and parts of Wales.
‘Elsewhere we are expecting to run a disrupted service. Two pieces of advice, be prepared for very significant delays and second check your train is running at all.’
