27.11.12
Flooding causes widespread rail disruption
Widespread flooding has caused significant disruption to the rail network over the past few days, with severe problems in Wales, as well as travel chaos for the north east and western England.
Yesterday First Great Western advised passengers not to travel in the Tiverton Parkway area and stated that it did not expect to be able to run sleeper services today.
A landslip continued to cause disruption in Surrey, whilst a problem with lineside equipment at Birmingham New Street caused significant delays. Services were also extremely delayed between Newcastle and York.
As of 2pm yesterday, ATOC reported that 80% of trains had arrived on time, despite the severe weather. Heavy rain continued to fall across the north-east of England overnight but the wet conditions are expected to ease later. Today, as of 12pm ATOC reported 95% of trains running across the country.
A spokesperson said: “Train services continue to operate well, with the vast majority of passengers unaffected by any disruption.
“Events like landslips and rivers bursting their banks do not happen often, but when they do their effects can be significant. Train companies and Network Rail work extremely hard to make sure as many trains can safely run as possible and that passengers have as the most up-to-date information that we can give them.”
A spokesperson for Network Rail said: “In a small number of locations, the extreme wet weather and flooding is continuing to cause problems for passengers travelling by train. Our people, including some affected by the flooding themselves, have been working around the clock to get train services running again safely. While most people’s journeys should remain unaffected, we recommend checking with train operators or National Rail Enquiries for the latest information before travelling.”
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