Heavy rain caused flooding in several areas of England, leading to train delays and cancellations. More than 50 flood warnings were in place on Tuesday, with 56 warnings in force in Dorset, the Midlands, and Somerset, where rivers including the Avon, Axe, and Frome were affected. Over the weekend, Cumbria was hit by heavy snowfall, leaving thousands without power and many stranded on impassable roads. As the snow begins to thaw, the flooding caused additional travel disruption on Monday and Tuesday.
Train services were already experiencing industrial action by drivers before the floods hit. Members of the train drivers’ union Aslef at C2C and Greater Anglia were scheduled to strike as part of a rolling series of work stoppages until 8 December. There is also an overtime ban until the next day. CrossCountry Trains reported that flooding was blocking lines between Newcastle and Edinburgh Waverley, adding to the disruption.
Great Western Railway warned passengers to expect more disruption on Tuesday, after floodwaters caused significant problems between Bristol and Exeter and London Paddington and Devon or Cornwall. Rail users may be affected until the waters recede, with disruption also expected between London Paddington and Somerset. The company advised passengers on long-distance services not to travel by train if possible.
Local authorities were called out to more than 245 incidents related to the floods in Somerset alone, with a higher number of calls than during Storm Ciarán in November, although less rain fell this week. The Met Office stated that rain would ease across England and Wales throughout Tuesday, but another cold day would see wintry showers in the North and North West, with cloud remaining overnight in the South and South East with frost and some freezing fog forming by dawn.
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