Storm Henk: Motorists warned to only drive if ‘necessary’ in heavy rain
Drivers have been urged to avoid using their cars during torrential rain after flooding caused by Storm Henk brought widespread disruption to roads across the country.
West Midlands Ambulance Service (WMAS) said only journeys deemed “necessary” should be taken in extreme wet conditions with motorists told to be vigilant against travelling through floods amid fears they could be swept off the road.
It comes after Storm Henk brought heavy rain and winds of more than 80mph to southern England, the Midlands, East Anglia and Wales throughout Tuesday A driver in his 50s was killed after a tree crushed his car in Gloucestershire, while trees were uprooted in other areas of the country including onto railway tracks.
Ben Pallante, from WMAS, said: “The first thing to do in heavy rain is consider whether you actually need to be out driving. If it is necessary then the simple advice is that you should not drive into flood water that’s more than 10cm (four inches) deep.
“You should be particularly careful when using fords during heavy rain, such as we have seen in the last couple of days, as they can become very dangerous. Fast-moving water is very powerful and can quickly sweep your car off the road in depths of only 30cm.”
Although no weather warnings are in place today, the Met Office has issued a yellow alert for rain covering southern England from 12pm on Thursday until 3am on Friday which could bring fresh travel and flood disruption.
That’s all for today
Today’s headlines:
- Rail passengers across the country faced severe delays this morning as train services got back on track after rain and strong winds from Storm Henk hit large parts of the UK
- There were over 500 active alerts in England for possible and expected flooding, with a severe danger to life warning issued in Northampton
- Several major roads closed this morning because of flooding, as National Highways warned of delays and motorists were urged to only drive ‘if necessary’
- A man in his 50s was killed after a tree fell on to the car he was driving in Gloucestershire on Tuesday
- Residents staying at Billing Aquadrome, a holiday park near the River Nene, were evacuated from their houseboats and caravans because of flooding
- A three-year-old and her mother were rescued from a car which was trapped in flood water under a bridge in Birmingham on Tuesday
- The Environment Agency warned of a possible five days of flooding ahead
The week ahead
There is a yellow warning for rain in place from midday tomorrow until 3am on Friday in the south of England. The Met Office have warned that another spell of rain falling onto saturated ground may lead to further flooding and travel disruption.
Met Office Chief Meteorologist Matthew Lehnert said: “The track of the heaviest rain remains uncertain but there is chance of 20 to 30 mm of rain falling in a 6 to 9 hour period for a portion of the warning area, with a few places seeing as much as 40-50 mm.
“Much of this rain is falling on already wet ground and therefore, impacts are more likely. Meanwhile, a stalled weather front will continue to bring rain and showers across the northeast.”
It will remain unsettled across the country for a few more days to come, with more showers and wind expected.
The rain will then ease with many regions becoming dry over the weekend, marking a change in weather with a move to a colder, drier and settled period for most.
A1 in Nottinghamshire closed due to flooding
The A1 in Nottinghamshire is closed northbound between the A57/A638 junction at Markham Moor and the A57/A614 junction due to flooding near Elkesley following heavy rainfall.
National Highways resources are in attendance working to clear the flood water.
Road users are advised to follow the solid black square diversion symbol on road signs.
The advice from National Highways is to allow extra journey time, to plan ahead, and to consider re-routing or delaying your journey.
Pictured: Cycling through the storm
Local farm worker James Chaplin cycles down a flooded road just outside the village of Earls Barton
Credit: David Rose
4:44PM
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Residents trapped in homes in Loughborough
Dozens of properties in Loughborough have either been breached or are surrounded by floodwater, with some residents trapped in their homes.
One resident, Ivan Fletcher, has moved six of his nine children to a relative’s home in Leicester, after the downstairs of his house was flooded.
Mr Fletcher said: “I woke up this morning to this. There was water everywhere, and it has got worse. There are bins everywhere, rubbish, the kids were panicking, stress.
“It happened about 12 years ago but it was never this bad.
“We had no warning at all. I think it’s disgusting. (We have had) no help at all, no one has come to help us, just deal with it ourselves.”
Tonight’s forecast
Rain and wind is expected to continue across the country this evening, although there will be some clear spells throughout the night.
Sleet and snow is expected in Shetland, and there will be longer spells of rain across Scotland.
Showers continuing this evening, with some clear spells in between 🌧️
Longer spells of rain in Scotland with some sleet and snow remaining in Shetland ❄️
Staying windy in the far north and south, though light winds elsewhere 🌬️ pic.twitter.com/9DnUWBLoWo[7]
— Met Office (@metoffice) January 3, 2024[8]
4:17PM
[9]
Pictured: Boy, 7, rescued from cut-off village
Jack, aged 7, is rescued as the village of Severn Stoke is cut off amid flooding
Credit: CARL RECINE
4:01PM
[10]
More than 500 flood warnings and alerts across the UK
The Environment Agency said there were 304 active alerts in England for possible flooding and 271 warnings which deem flooding as expected.
Sharing the Environment Agency’s interactive map, Greenpeace UK said on X: “Storm Henk triggers over 300 flood warnings in England. The poor state of flood defences across the country is leaving thousands vulnerable.
“As the climate crisis worsens, extreme weather will get more frequent and severe.”
Find out here[11] if your area is affected.
Pictured: A kayaker in Loughborough braves the storm
A local goes out on his kayak in Loughborough, where homes have flooded after the Grand Union Canal burst its banks
Credit: Tom Maddick / SWNS
3:08PM
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More than 100 trees uprooted across Suffolk on Tuesday night
Highway chiefs in Suffolk received reports of more than 100 fallen trees as Storm Henk battered the county on Tuesday night.
A VW Golf in Ipswich was lifted off the ground by an uprooted tree which was blown down.
Branches of the 60ft tree fell against the wall of a house, resting against three vehicles in the driveway.
Suffolk Highways continued to advise people to drive with care and avoid debris in the road.
A tree brought down by Storm Henk lifts a car with its roots in Ipswich
Credit: East Anglia News Service
2:47PM
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Pictured: Flooding in the Midlands
The River Nene near Northampton, up seven foot and still rising
Credit: David Rose
Floodwater from the River Lugg covers fields and roads in Hereford
Credit: Steven May / Alamy Live News
2:28PM
[15]
Thames Water sewage leaks a ‘huge embarrassment’ for the company
The majority of Thames Water’s storm overflows have been overwhelmed by recent heavy rain, resulting in raw sewage spilling into rivers and groundwater reserves.
Simon Collins, of the organisation River Mole River Watch, said the Horley treatment works near Gatwick Airport had flooded four times since Storm Ciaran hit the UK in late October.
He said progress to upgrade the works is too slow and that during a tour by Thames Water he saw sludge tanks leaking, in what he described as a “huge embarrassment” for the company.
Raw sewage also spilled from a flooded treatment work in Surrey after Storm Henk caused the River Mole to burst its banks on Tuesday. Contaminated water spread over a public footpath beyond the fence of the unmanned Thames Water facility.
After the flood, Mr Collins tested the water pouring through the fence and found phosphate – a pollutant found in sewage – to be “off the scale”.
Thames Water has apologised for the pollution and said it has installed a temporary pump to clear the water while it upgrades the treatment plant in the long term.
The utility company has published a live interactive map of its monitors on rivers. It shows the majority of its storm overflows discharging sewage across the region over Tuesday and Wednesday, with some having been discharging since early December.
West Midlands Ambulance Service urges drivers to avoid flooded roads
West Midlands Ambulance Service (WMAS) has urged drivers to avoid flooded roads after four incidents on Tuesday night amid flooding caused by Storm Henk.
Ben Pallante, the WMAS hazardous area response team manager, said: “The first thing to do in heavy rain is consider whether you actually need to be out driving. If it is necessary then the simple advice is that you should not drive into flood water that’s more than 10cm (four inches) deep.
“You should be particularly careful when using fords during heavy rain, such as we have seen in the last couple of days, as they can become very dangerous. Fast-moving water is very powerful and can quickly sweep your car off the road in depths of only 30cm. Also, remember that the Highway Code states that stopping distances will be at least double in wet weather because your tyres will have less grip on the road.
“If you can’t avoid driving through water, do so slowly, but if possible find an alternative route.”
A three-year-old and her mother saved from car stuck in flood water
A three-year-old and her mother have been saved from a car which was trapped in flood water caused by Storm Henk.
Liam Stych, 28, saw the vehicle had become wedged under a bridge at 4.15pm on Tuesday in Hall Green, Birmingham and heard a woman screaming “help me, help me, please save my baby”.
Footage of the dramatic rescue has emerged on TikTok showing Mr Stych clambering across a footbridge while holding onto the railing and pulling the child out of the car window to safety.
West Midlands Police hailed Mr Stych as a “local hero” but the dad-of-two insisted he just acted “on instinct”.
Mr Stych said: “My partner is five months pregnant so we went out for a walk for some exercise. We were walking over a bridge and I heard a woman screaming from inside a car.
“The front of her car was pointing down into the water so I dangled off the bridge but was careful not to put any more weight on the car in case it sank.
“I told the woman to remain calm and unwind her window and to hand me her child. I said to her ‘Give me baby’s hand, I’ll get her out’.
“The woman could only get her window half-way down so I took the babbie and literally hurled her behind me and into the lap of Tia who was on the bridge.”
He added: “It was pure luck that we were there when it happened. I didn’t think about what I was doing, I just acted on instinct.
“The poor lady has lost her car and her shopping which was in the back but she and her daughter could have lost their lives.”
@littledoweknow.life[18] What a crazy experience we was orignially only going for a walk 🤯 #localhero[19] #floods[20] #rescue[21] #scary[22] #lifesavers[23] #stutter[24] #safe[25] #inthemoment[26] #sareholemill[27] #hallgreen[28] #silly[29] #driver[30] ♬ original sound – T[31]
12:52PM
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A hatch on the London Eye was blown open amid strong winds
A hatch on a pod of the London Eye was blown open by strong winds amid Storm Henk.
Staff assessed the safety of the tourist attraction following its brief closure on Tuesday.
David Nock, from Bournemouth, who was in the pod at the time of the incident said it was “terrifying”.
Mr Nock told BBC Radio Solent: “We got on, started to move and it was stop-starting on the way up. As we got to the 12 o’clock top it stopped. The wind really started to howl,” he said.
“The wind was so strong it actually ripped an access hatch off the top of the pod we were in.
“You can imagine, it got very noisy and the wind was blowing and it was slightly terrifying.”
A spokesperson for the London Eye said: “Due to disruption from adverse weather conditions yesterday, we took the decision to close the London Eye for a brief period.
“The safety of our guests and staff is our number one priority, and we have multiple safety procedures in place on the pods.
“Following an isolated technical issue, our expert technical team immediately ensured that guests safely disembarked and conducted further rigorous checks before reopening the attraction that evening.
“We can confirm that no parts of the pod detached from the main structure and that no guests were injured. We apologise for any inconvenience caused to the guests during their visit.”
We are not a recovery service, fire crew tells drivers
Essex Fire Service has told motorists they “are not a recovery service”.
In a post on X, formerly Twitter, it wrote: “We’ve received lots of calls today asking us to recover vehicles after they have driven into flood water.
“We are not a recovery company. We do not recover vehicles.”
We’ve received lots of calls today asking us to recover vehicles after they have driven into flood water.
We are not a recovery company. We do not recover vehicles.
Only call 999 in the event of an emergency or risk to life. pic.twitter.com/EZxlUjz5wi[34]
— Essex Fire Service (@ECFRS) January 2, 2024[35]
12:36PM
[36]
Pictured: Storm Henk
John Vaughan, 69 looks at the remains of the turret at Bickleigh Castle which collapsed during Storm Henk
Credit: Daniel Dayment/SWNS
Holiday homes at the Billing Aquadrome in Northampton surrounded by water
Credit: Jacob King/PA
12:24PM
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Police tell residents to stop removing flood warning signs
Leicestershire Police asked Loughborough residents to stop removing flood warning signs.
It told people to act responsibly and stressed how busy emergency services are owing to Storm Henk.
***FLOODING INCIDENT*** LOUGHBOROUGH. BELTON RD, JUBILEE DR, MEADOW LANE AREA. CAN PEOPLE STOP REMOVING THE SIGNS WARNING OF FLOODS IN THIS AREA. – THE SIGNS ARE THERE FOR A REASON,.PLEASE ACT RESPONSIBLY AT THIS TIME AS EMERGENCY SERVICES ARE ALREADY BUSY.
— Leicestershire Police (@leicspolice) January 3, 2024[38]
12:18PM
[39]
Five days of flooding expected, says Environment Agency
Flooding possible for the next five days, according to the Environment Agency.
EA teams will be on the ground working to minimise the impacts of the weather, the organisation said.
Stefan Laeger, flood duty manager, advised people to avoid “swollen rivers” and urged motorists not to drive through water.
He said: “Recent and ongoing heavy rain is falling on already very wet ground and could see some riverside locations across England flood until Thursday, while surface water flooding is also probable at times during the next five days in many parts of the country.”
Pictures: Billing Aquadrome evacuated
Houseboat and caravan residents were rescued by firefighters after the pathway to land was blocked by rising water caused by Storm Henk.
Billing Aquadrome resident – ‘If water has gone over door level, I’m totally screwed’
Robert Britchford has been evacuated from his caravan on Billing Aquadrome
Robert Britchford is one of several residents who have been evacuated from caravans and houseboats on Billing Aquadrome near Northamptonshire, where a flood warning is in place because of high water from the River Nene caused by Storm Henk.
The area was previously the only area in the country with a severe flood warning, meaning there is a risk to life, but this has since been downgraded.
Mr Britchford moved to the site in 2016 and estimates that around 2,000 people have been evacuated.
“It’s the second time in three years that it has flooded. I moved my cars out of the way, and I thought I would try and wait it out, because I thought it would be nice today, but no, the evacuation notice went out at 2:30pm yesterday and that was it.
“I’m a bit anxious. We felt it was coming, but we hoped it wouldn’t. Now we have to find hotels. They won’t let us back on until this is all sorted, so it could be a month before we come back on.
“You are hoping for the best, but you’re fearing for the worst. They’ve turned the electrics off so everything in your freezer has gone, and in the sheds, how high it is will depend on whether the washing machine and tumble dryer has gone.
“But in the caravan itself, if water gets in there, you may as well scrap it and start again. That’s the fear at the moment – how high has it gone? If it has gone over door level, I am totally screwed.”
Watch: Storm Henk brings strong winds to UK
Holiday park evacuated near River Nene
Several residents have been evacuated from houseboats and caravans at Billing Aquadrome, close to the River Nene near Northampton, because of flooding caused by Storm Henk.
While a severe flood warning, meaning there is a risk to life, previously in place was downgraded to a flood warning on Wednesday morning, the Environment Agency has said river’s levels will “remain high for the next few days”.
Emergency services are at the scene, with residents in houseboats being taken to the shore in rubber boats after a walkway was submerged by rising water.
Eddie Hancock, a resident who lives around two miles away from Billing Aquadrome, said the high water levels were “scary” and that he had never seen the water so high in around 30 years of living in the area.
He said: “Our house is pretty much OK as we’re further over, we’re up a hill, but it’s drastic. I have never, ever seen emergency services over there.
“It’s worrying. I feel sorry for the poor people on Billing Aquadrome. It’s mad, I wouldn’t want to be over there. It has never, ever been this bad. I thought I would come down and have a look and it is a bad. It’s scary.”
Met Office issues rain warning for southern England
The Met Office has issued a yellow weather warning for rain across southern England from midday on Thursday.
The alert, which threatens possible flooding and travel disruption, is in place until 3am on Friday.
⚠️ Yellow weather warning issued ⚠️
Heavy rain across the south of England
Thursday 1200 – Friday 0300
Latest info 👉 https://t.co/QwDLMfRBfs[45]
Stay #WeatherAware⚠️ pic.twitter.com/OKjV0LVPhr[46][47]
— Met Office (@metoffice) January 3, 2024[48]
10:21AM
[49]
Police statement: Man died on Tetbury Road
Gloucestershire Police said a man in his 50s died in an incident on Tetbury Road, near Kemble.
Officers were called at around 3.15pm with reports of a large fallen tree on the A433 Tetbury Road near the junction with the A429.
A police spokesman said: “Emergency services, including an air ambulance, attended the location which is between Tetbury and Cirencester.
“Despite the efforts of those at the scene a man aged in his fifties and from the Bath area died. His next of kin and the coroner have been informed.
“The road remains closed as recovery and investigation work continues and motorists are asked to find alternative routes.”
Police are appealing for witnesses. The high winds and heavy rain brought by Storm Henk saw power cuts, transport troubles, property damage and disruption on Tuesday across the UK.
Driver killed after tree falls on car
A motorist has died after a tree fell on the car he was driving in Gloucestershire on Tuesday during the storm, police have said.
London Underground braced for strike action
Transport for London has warned there will be “little or no service expected” on the London Underground from Monday to Thursday next week because of planned strike action.
Members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) will walk out on separate days between January 5 and 12.
#Tubestrike impacts next week. LITTLE or NO tube. Talks ongoing in dispute over pay with RMT Union. ASLEF accepted 5%. pic.twitter.com/3KoVRMA2bL[52][53]
— Tom Edwards (@BBCTomEdwards) January 3, 2024[54]
9:37AM
[55]
Freight train disrupts London Overground services
London Overground services between Clapham Junction and Richmond to Stratford have been disrupted because of a fault on a freight train between Gospel Oak and Stratford. Trains may be cancelled, delayed by up to 30 minutes or revised with the disruption expected to last until 1pm.
Pictured: Trees uprooted during Storm Henk
Trees uprooted during Storm Henk have caused chaos on the roads and railways on Wednesday.
These pictures show the scale of the disruption.
A fallen tree In Greenwich Park, South East London
Credit: George Cracknell Wright/George Cracknell Wright
Emergency services at the scene where two cars were crushed by a tree during Storm Henk, near Malmesbury, Wiltshire
Credit: Daniel Jae Webb / SWNS/Daniel Jae Webb / SWNS
Tree falls down in South London
Credit: @MichaelSnasdell/@MichaelSnasdell
9:02AM
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Transport for Wales
Services between Radyr and Coryton have been disrupted as a result of a fault on a train between Cardiff Queen Street and Coryton. Trains may be cancelled, delayed by up to 40 minutes or revised with disruption expected until 10am.
Flooding has also closed the Heart of Wales line between Swansea and Shrewsbury, while all lines are blocked between Bridgend and Cardiff airport.
Trains between Hereford and Newport may be cancelled or delayed by up to 60 minutes because of flooding.
Thameslink
Services between Cambridge and London are running with some cancellations because of severe weather yesterday.
Southern
Services between Brighton and Portsmouth Harbour, and between Crowborough and Uckfield have been disrupted because of signalling failures which means that trains could be delayed or cancelled.
Platform six at East Croydon has also been closed because of some overhanging hoarding which may cause some congestion.
South Western Railway
Services between London Waterloo, Woking, Eastleigh, Southampton Central and Portsmouth Harbour have all been disrupted because of a signalling fault at Hilsea.
Earlier, the operator suspended its services for several hours, which is expected to cause delays and cancellations throughout the rest of the day.
Northern
The following Northern routes have been affected:
- Between Scunthorpe and Barnetby
Flooding between Scunthorpe and Barnetby means trains will run at a reduced speed. Trains may be delayed by up to 20 minutes or cancelled.
Tickets will be accepted on Northern services between Liverpool Lime Street and Doncaster at no extra cost.
Road replacement transport has been requested to run between Cleethorpes and Doncaster.
- Gathurst
Flooding at Gathurst means trains are currently unable to call at the station.
Services running through this station will be running non-stop between Wigan Wallgate and Appley Bridge. Gathurst will not be served.
- Rotherham Central
Heavy rain has flooded the railway at Rotherham. Trains are currently unable to run between Meadowhall and Rotherham Central and will divert to avoid calling at Rotherham. Network Rail are on site and monitoring the flood levels.
Customers are advised to please travel on rail replacement buses between Rotherham and Meadowhall.
A shuttle bus service is operating between Rotherham and Meadowhall in both directions. This will be 2 x 16 seat vehicles operated by Premier Travel.
Journey times may be extended by up to 20 minutes whilst travelling by rail replacement transport.
- Between Doncaster and Wakefield Westgate
Because of a fault with the signalling system between South Elmsall and Wakefield Westgate all lines are blocked. Train services running through these stations may be cancelled, delayed by up to 30 minutes or diverted via Barnsley. Network Rail engineers are onsite.
Doncaster to Leeds services will be delayed or cancelled.
Sheffield to Leeds services will divert via Barnsley and not call at stations between Meadowhall and Wakefield Westgate. Customers are advised to change at Wakefield Westgate for services to Sheffield via Moorthorpe.
Leeds to Doncaster and Sheffield services will be delayed or cancelled.
Leeds to Sheffield via Barnsley services are not affected.
- Between Moorthorpe and Wakefield Westgate
A fault with the signalling system between Moorthorpe and Wakefield Westgate means that all lines are blocked. Trains running through these stations may be cancelled or terminated at or started back from Moorthorpe.
Greater Anglia
The following routes have been affected:
- Between Chafford Hundred and Ockendon
A tree blocking the railway between Chafford Hundred and Ockendon means that trains running between these stations may be delayed by up to 10 minutes, or cancelled.
- Between Ipswich and Norwich
Overhead wire problems as a result of a fallen tree between Ipswich and Norwich means all lines are blocked. Trains may be cancelled, delayed or revised.
Customers are asked NOT TO TRAVEL from Ipswich to Cambridge, Norwich and Peterborough in both directions.
Because of trees on overhead wires, there are currently no trains running between Ipswich and Cambridge, Norwich and Peterborough.
You will be informed when the situation has improved to a level that this advice can be lifted.
Tickets for today will be accepted tomorrow and other ticket restrictions have been lifted.
- Between Cambridge North and Ely
Following overhead wire damage between Cambridge North and Ely, lines have reopened. Trains are returning to normal but may still be cancelled, delayed or revised.
Great Western Railway
Services between Cardiff Central to Bristol Temple Meads and Portsmouth Harbour have been disrupted because of signal failures, while flooding between Bristol Parkway and Swindon means that all lines are currently closed.
Trains running between these stations may be cancelled, delayed by up to 40 minutes or diverted.
Additionally, the line from Bristol Parkway towards Gloucester is blocked because of flooding. Disruption is expected until the end of service.
Great Northern
Passengers travelling between Cambridge to Ely and King’s Lynn can only use limited services as Great Northern works with Network Rail to repair overhead wires and remove a damaged train in Waterbeach.
Gatwick Express
Gatwick Express trains may be delayed up to 60 minutes or revised after services were impacted by severe weather on Tuesday.
East Midlands Railway
The following routes are currently affected by flooding:
- Between Derby and Nottingham / Loughborough
- Flooding between Derby and Long Eaton means that trains running between these stations may be delayed by up to 10 minutes.
- Between Mansfield Woodhouse and Worksop
- Heavy rain has flooded the railway between Mansfield Woodhouse and Worksop, closing all lines between these stations.
However, trains can run between Nottingham and Mansfield Woodhouse.
#EMRUpdate Heavy rain is flooding the railway on our Nottingham/ Mansfield/ Worksop route. We have arranged for a rail replacement bus to shuttle between Mansfield Woodhouse & Worksop. Our online journey planners are being updated with the departure times of the shuttle service. pic.twitter.com/L22c4IIm4V[67][68]
— East Midlands Railway (EMR) (@EastMidRailway) January 3, 2024[69]
8:41AM
[70]
Cross Country
Severe weather is affecting routes in Wales, the Midlands, East Anglia, south west and north east England
- In Wales, disruption is expected throughout Wednesday because of flooding which has closed the Heart of Wales line between Swansea and Shrewsbury, while all lines are blocked between Bridgend and Cardiff airport.Trains between Hereford and Newport may be cancelled or delayed by up to 60 minutes because of flooding.
- In the Midlands, heavy rain on the tracks between Derby and Nottingham as well as Mansfield Woodhouse and Worksop has caused major delays to services, although trains are running between Nottingham and Mansfield Woodhouse. Trains between Warwick Parkway and Leamington Spa are operating at reduced speed because of the flooding.
- In East Anglia, passengers are asked not to travel from Ipswich to Cambridge, Norwich and Peterborough in both directions because of overhead wire problems caused by a fallen tree. Lines between Cambridge North and Ely have reopened following earlier damage to overhead wire lines.
- In south west England, trains between Totnes and Plymouth may be cancelled or delayed up to 40 minutes, while flooding has blocked all lines between Liskeard and Looe in Cornwall.
- In north east England, flooding between Scunthorpe and Barnetby means that trains will run at a reduced speed. Heavy rain also closed lines in Rotherham, meaning trains are unable to run between Meadowhall and Rotherham Central. All lines between Doncaster and Wakefield Westgate are also blocked because of signalling failures.
Is your train affected?
Nearly a dozen rail operators have warned passengers of major disruption to services this morning after Storm Henk brought flooding and damage to tracks across England and Wales.
Cross Country, East Midlands Railway, Gatwick Express, Great Northern, Great Western Railway, Greater Anglia, Northern, South Western Railway, Southern, Thameslink, Transport for Wales have all said delays and cancellations are likely on their routes.
We will look at each operator and identify which services are most affected.
National Highways warns of flooding to major roads
Drivers have also been warned to expect misery on their journeys this morning with several major roads in England closed because of flooding.
The A52 in Nottinghamshire was closed in both directions between the A60 (Nottingham Knight roundabout) and the A606 (Edwalton), but one lane of the eastbound carriageway reopened this morning. The westbound remains closed.
The A1 in Lincolnshire is closed northbound from the A52 (Grantham) as well as the B6326 (near Newark) because of standing water.
The A21 in East Sussex is closed in both directions between the A2100 (near Johns Cross) and the A28 (near Baldslow) because a fallen tree is resting on power cables above the road.
National Highways said: “With more rain expected in many areas throughout the day, it is anticipated that the roads will remain closed for several hours.”
Great Western Railway: Storm Henk has blocked parts of our network
Great Western Railway said flooding because of Storm Henk has blocked several parts of its network.
Flooding near Chipping Sodbury, Gloucestershire means all lines are closed between Swindon and Bristol Parkway.
Services between London Paddington and South Wales are being diverted, adding around 40 minutes to journey times.
Flooding also means the route between Liskeard and Looe is blocked and some lines are closed between Totnes and Plymouth.
South Western Railways: Disruption expected throughout Wednesday
Disruption to South Western Railway (SWR) services from the impact of Storm Henk is expected to continue throughout Wednesday.
Stuart Meek, SWR chief operating officer, and Matt Pocock, Network Rail interim route director for Wessex, said: “We are very sorry for the disruption customers experienced yesterday, due to the serious and widespread impact of Storm Henk.
“The severe winds led to trees on the line damaging or delaying trains in multiple locations across our network.
“We jointly took the decision to suspend running services for several hours to ensure the safety of all our customers and colleagues.
“This had a knock-on effect with delays and cancellations through the rest of the day. We expect disruption linked to this storm to continue through today because of trains and crews being displaced.
“We would urge everyone to check before they travel to see whether their train is running as planned. Once again, we’re sorry for the disruption to your journey.”
Hour long delays on Southern, Gatwick Express, Great Northern and Thameslink services
Trains operated by Southern, Gatwick Express, Great Northern and Thameslink face delays of up to an hour and could be subject to cancellations, National Rail has warned.
The disruption, which is said to affect most routes, is expected to last until 10am.
Southern services between Uckfield and London Bridge are terminating and restarting at Crowborough because of signal failures, while platform six at East Croydon has been shut. This could cause further congestion.
Hundreds of flood alerts in place
The Environment Agency said there were 368 active alerts in England for possible flooding and 322 flood warnings. In Northampton, one danger to life, severe flood warning has been issued.
Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue said they have received 140 flood related calls in the last 24 hours, the majority of which came in the southern end of the county.
Repairs to overhead wires
Great Northern Rail said on X, formerly Twitter, that services would be delayed from Cambridge to Ely and King’s Lynn until 10am on Wednesday as they work to repair overhead wires and remove a damaged train.
Southern Rail also said delays were expected on Wednesday with repairs ongoing between Uckfield, Buxted and Crowborough.
Thameslink said services are back to normal after disruptions on Tuesday.
Trains damaged across train network
A joint statement on Wednesday morning from South Western Railway and Network Rail on X, formerly Twitter, said that disruptions linked to the storm will continue throughout the day.
“We are very sorry for the disruption customers experienced yesterday, due to the serious and widespread impact of Storm Henk,” the statement said.
“The severe winds led to trees on the line damaging or delaying trains in multiple locations across our network.”
Severe travel delays
Transport delays will continue on Wednesday as train services get back on track after rain and strong winds from Storm Henk hit large parts of the UK.
Greater Anglia said train services were experiencing “severe disruptions” in the late hours of Tuesday night because of the storm, with “multiple incidents” affecting services across the network.
A statement said: “Services on other lines may be cancelled, delayed, or revised. Greater Anglia and Network Rail will be working overnight to restore services and minimise disruption on Wednesday 3 January.”
They are experiencing severe delays in Norwich, Colchester, Peterborough and Cambridge.
References
- ^ 6:07PM (www.telegraph.co.uk)
- ^ 5:43PM (www.telegraph.co.uk)
- ^ 5:31PM (www.telegraph.co.uk)
- ^ 5:06PM (www.telegraph.co.uk)
- ^ 4:44PM (www.telegraph.co.uk)
- ^ 4:34PM (www.telegraph.co.uk)
- ^ pic.twitter.com/9DnUWBLoWo (t.co)
- ^ January 3, 2024 (twitter.com)
- ^ 4:17PM (www.telegraph.co.uk)
- ^ 4:01PM (www.telegraph.co.uk)
- ^ here (check-for-flooding.service.gov.uk)
- ^ 3:34PM (www.telegraph.co.uk)
- ^ 3:08PM (www.telegraph.co.uk)
- ^ 2:47PM (www.telegraph.co.uk)
- ^ 2:28PM (www.telegraph.co.uk)
- ^ 1:25PM (www.telegraph.co.uk)
- ^ 1:15PM (www.telegraph.co.uk)
- ^ @littledoweknow.life (www.tiktok.com)
- ^ localhero (www.tiktok.com)
- ^ floods (www.tiktok.com)
- ^ rescue (www.tiktok.com)
- ^ scary (www.tiktok.com)
- ^ lifesavers (www.tiktok.com)
- ^ stutter (www.tiktok.com)
- ^ safe (www.tiktok.com)
- ^ inthemoment (www.tiktok.com)
- ^ sareholemill (www.tiktok.com)
- ^ hallgreen (www.tiktok.com)
- ^ silly (www.tiktok.com)
- ^ driver (www.tiktok.com)
- ^ ♬ original sound – T (www.tiktok.com)
- ^ 12:52PM (www.telegraph.co.uk)
- ^ 12:40PM (www.telegraph.co.uk)
- ^ pic.twitter.com/EZxlUjz5wi (t.co)
- ^ January 2, 2024 (twitter.com)
- ^ 12:36PM (www.telegraph.co.uk)
- ^ 12:24PM (www.telegraph.co.uk)
- ^ January 3, 2024 (twitter.com)
- ^ 12:18PM (www.telegraph.co.uk)
- ^ 11:37AM (www.telegraph.co.uk)
- ^ 11:25AM (www.telegraph.co.uk)
- ^ 10:59AM (www.telegraph.co.uk)
- ^ 10:54AM (www.telegraph.co.uk)
- ^ 10:39AM (www.telegraph.co.uk)
- ^ https://t.co/QwDLMfRBfs (t.co)
- ^ #WeatherAware (twitter.com)
- ^ pic.twitter.com/OKjV0LVPhr (t.co)
- ^ January 3, 2024 (twitter.com)
- ^ 10:21AM (www.telegraph.co.uk)
- ^ 10:11AM (www.telegraph.co.uk)
- ^ 9:57AM (www.telegraph.co.uk)
- ^ #Tubestrike (twitter.com)
- ^ pic.twitter.com/3KoVRMA2bL (t.co)
- ^ January 3, 2024 (twitter.com)
- ^ 9:37AM (www.telegraph.co.uk)
- ^ 9:26AM (www.telegraph.co.uk)
- ^ 9:02AM (www.telegraph.co.uk)
- ^ 9:00AM (www.telegraph.co.uk)
- ^ 8:59AM (www.telegraph.co.uk)
- ^ 8:57AM (www.telegraph.co.uk)
- ^ 8:54AM (www.telegraph.co.uk)
- ^ 8:50AM (www.telegraph.co.uk)
- ^ 8:48AM (www.telegraph.co.uk)
- ^ 8:48AM (www.telegraph.co.uk)
- ^ 8:45AM (www.telegraph.co.uk)
- ^ 8:43AM (www.telegraph.co.uk)
- ^ #EMRUpdate (twitter.com)
- ^ pic.twitter.com/L22c4IIm4V (t.co)
- ^ January 3, 2024 (twitter.com)
- ^ 8:41AM (www.telegraph.co.uk)
- ^ 8:36AM (www.telegraph.co.uk)
- ^ 8:06AM (www.telegraph.co.uk)
- ^ 7:57AM (www.telegraph.co.uk)
- ^ 7:41AM (www.telegraph.co.uk)
- ^ 7:30AM (www.telegraph.co.uk)
- ^ 7:17AM (www.telegraph.co.uk)
- ^ 7:16AM (www.telegraph.co.uk)
- ^ 7:14AM (www.telegraph.co.uk)
- ^ 7:13AM (www.telegraph.co.uk)