Storm Causes Major Headache For Commuters

Written By Unknown on Senin, 28 Oktober 2013 | 20.14

Rail passengers left stranded by hurricane-strength winds have criticised train companies, claiming they were not kept fully informed.

Hundreds of services were cancelled as a severe storm battered the South and the South East, felling more than 200 trees.

The strong winds also caused damage to overhead power lines, with parts of the rail network so badly affected that several operators, including East Coast, Virgin and East Midlands, urged customers heading to or from London not to travel at all on Monday.

Cancellations caused by the storm are shown on a departures board at Waterloo station Passengers at London Waterloo were going nowhere fast

Graham Collins, who was among those trying to get from Guildford, Surrey, to the capital, told Sky News: "It's disappointing. The problem is that you're drip fed information. It's just frustrating. I don't know what's going on, so I'm probably going to quit and go home now."

A mother who was attempting to travel to north Wales with her son for a half term walking holiday added: "It would have been better if there was more accurate information on the internet.

"The people at the station are doing the best they can but I overheard one of them saying the information on their websites is inaccurate anyway."

A fallen tree on railway lines in Keymer, near Brighton A tree on the tracks at Keymer, West Sussex. Pic: Network Rail/Twitter

Many train companies announced cancellations or suspensions to services as early as Sunday, as the storm, dubbed St Jude, raced across the Atlantic.

However, asked whether they had overreacted to the risk posed by the storm, Prime Minister David Cameron said:  "Everyone has to act on the basis of the evidence that they are given.

"Afterwards we'll be able to look back and see whether people made the right decisions but right now what matters is listening to the evidence, working together and getting things back to normal."

Bus overturned by storm in Suffolk Some vehicles overturned in the storm, including this bus in Suffolk

The strong winds and heavy rain also caused disruption on the roads, with a number of major routes affected.

Both Severn estuary crossings were closed, as well as the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge and the Sheppey Crossing in Kent.

A lorry overturned on the M11 in Essex, while the A2 was shut in west Kent because of the number of fallen trees.

The clean up began soon after the storm passed. Pic: @marthaandhespie/@madebymartha/Twitter The clean up begins in London. Pic: madebymartha/madebymartha/Twitter

Countless local roads were also closed, as emergency services and council crews battled to remove fallen trees and other debris.

At Heathrow airport, about 130 flights were cancelled, although Gatwick said it was operating a "near normal service".

Rough seas whipped up by the strong winds also caused cancellations to ferry services, including English Channel, Irish Sea and Penzance-Isles of Scilly crossings.

Sky News storm coverage

Brittany Ferries also cancelled services between Plymouth and Roscoff, Poole and Cherbourg and Portsmouth and Bilbao.

Among the transport operators which continue to experience disruption are:

Trains

:: Southern Railway is reporting that a small number of large trees are still blocking lines on its network. The Brighton mainline has been cleared of trees and Gatwick Express services have resumed.

:: Most South West Trains routes do not have a service operating. The company said a "significantly reduced timetable" would operate for the remainder of the day while dozens of trees are removed. Its trains can run at a maximum speed of 50mph.

:: Southeastern Railway is running a high speed service between Ashford and St Pancras International but warned passengers the service would be "very busy". Many of its metro and mainline routes remain blocked.

:: East Coast Trains said customers are advised not to travel today. It has no service south of Peterborough, with no trains running in or out of London King's Cross. There is "no firm indication" about when services will be resumed.

:: East Midlands Trains advised customers travelling to or from London not to attempt their journeys. It has suspended services between Bedford and London St Pancras for the rest of the day because of fallen trees.

:: Virgin Trains has urged customers not to travel "unless absolutely necessary" on services to and from London using the West Coast Main Line. Services to and from London Euston are subject to delays and cancellations.

:: Greater Anglia Trains has suspended services on most routes, with customers advised not to travel for the rest of the day.

:: First Capital Connect advised passengers not to travel, warning that some lines may remain closed all day.

:: C2C said all services are suspended between Shoeburyness and London Fenchurch Street.

:: London Overground services have been part suspended, although trains are running between Highbury and Islington and New Cross/New Cross Gate.

:: London Underground trains continue to experience minor delays due to part suspensions on the District, Northern and Piccadilly lines.

Planes

:: Heathrow airport cancelled about 130 flights, with passengers advised to contact their airline before travelling.

:: Gatwick said it was operating a "near normal service", while Stansted, Luton and Bristol airports have not yet announced any cancellations.

Ferries

:: Brittany Ferries has announced cancellations between Plymouth and Roscoff, Poole and Cherbourg and Portsmouth and Bilbao.

:: The Port of Dover has reopened after a temporary closure, although passengers are urged to contact their ferry operator before travelling.

:: Ferries have been cancelled between Penzance and the Isles of Scilly.

Roads

:: The Highways Agency issued a severe weather alert for high-sided vehicles, caravans, motorbikes and other vulnerable vehicles.

:: Both crossings over the Severn estuary were closed but have since reopened.

:: Queen Elizabeth II Bridge, the southbound Dartford Crossing, has reopened after an earlier closure.


Anda sedang membaca artikel tentang

Storm Causes Major Headache For Commuters

Dengan url

http://serverkecil.blogspot.com/2013/10/storm-causes-major-headache-for.html

Anda boleh menyebar luaskannya atau mengcopy paste-nya

Storm Causes Major Headache For Commuters

namun jangan lupa untuk meletakkan link

Storm Causes Major Headache For Commuters

sebagai sumbernya

0 komentar:

Posting Komentar

techieblogger.com Techie Blogger Techie Blogger