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Daily Mail
2 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Storm Floris batters Britain as fallen trees and 90mph winds cause travel chaos with flights axed and trains cancelled - while Tom Holland's Spider-Man movie is forced to stop filming
Britain has been battered by 90mph winds as Storm Floris has hit Scotland, Northern Ireland and parts of northern England causing widespread travel disruption. In Scotland, police have warned drivers to stay away from two roads in Aberdeenshire and the Western Highlands - which were blocked by fallen trees and overturned campervans respectively. Bridges such as the A9 Dornoch Bridge, Highlands, and the A1 Tyne Bridge were also closed due to high winds. Filming for the new Spider-Man movie with Tom Holland in Glasgow was brought to a halt by adverse weather conditions. Flights from Glasgow to Scotland's islands have also been cancelled due to the weather. A number of rail lines in Scotland were blocked by fallen trees, including one near Cornton in Stirling which landed on overhead wires. Crews were also called out to cut back fallen trees from the line near Giffnock, East Renfrewshire. A yellow warning for wind for northern parts of the UK became active at 6am on Monday, lasting until 6am on Tuesday. It is unusual to see a storm with such strong winds at this time of year. However it is the fourth August storm in three years, following storm Lillian last year and Antoni and Betty in 2023. A meteorologist has warned people in regions affected by a weather alert to 'watch their backs' as Storm Floris brings unseasonably strong winds. Central and northern Scotland are covered by a more serious amber warning from 10am to 10pm on Monday. A number of train services were halted at midday and ferry sailings have been cancelled. Train operator LNER has told passengers not to travel north of Newcastle while Avanti West Coast has advised passengers not to travel north of Preston, warning it will be 'heavily impacted' by the weather. On Monday afternoon, a number of roads were blocked by the storm, including: the A96 in Aberdeenshire, the A87 and the A82 in the western Highlands. The west of Scotland saw heavy rain early on Monday morning, with winds picking up later in the day. Western coastal areas are expected to bear the brunt of the storm. Storm Floris has also impacted Edinburgh's busy festival period, with the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo cancelling its Monday performance. A Scottish Government minister said it is 'imperative' that people follow advice as Storm Floris hits the country. Props for the Marvel movie were kept undercover to protect them from the wind and rain today Justice Secretary Angela Constance told the BBC's Good Morning Scotland news programme: 'Storm Floris is well and truly with us today and it's imperative that people follow advice because there will be significant disruption on our travel network.' She said anyone who has to travel is likely to face disruption and should plan ahead, adding: 'Consider this a winter journey as opposed to a summer journey. 'Please make sure you've got warm clothes, food, water, plenty of fuel and that your mobile phone is charged up.' Met Office chief meteorologist Matthew Lehnert said: 'Across the warning area, many inland areas are likely to see gusts of 40-50mph, with 60-70mph more likely at higher elevations and around exposed coasts in Scotland. 'There is a small chance that some locations here could even record gusts of 85mph.' The strongest winds will most likely affect Scotland on Monday afternoon and night but 'there remains some uncertainty in the depth and track of Floris ', a spokesperson added. 'Winds will first ease in the west later during Monday but remaining very strong overnight until early Tuesday in the east. 'Heavy rain may also contribute to the disruption in places.' The warning zone covers Scotland, parts of Northern Ireland, north Wales and the north of England. Storm Floris is the sixth named storm of the 2024-25 naming season, which runs from early September to late August. January's Storm Eowyn was the most recent. Jim Dale, founder of the British Weather Services, has described the storm as 'serious' and 'unusual' for the summer months. He told the BBC Radio 4's Today programme on Monday: 'The yellow warning does expand down into northern England, north Wales, Northern Ireland. 'So it's still going to be gusty day - you're going to have to watch your back.' A weather forecaster has warned that Storm Floris will bring 'extremely rough' conditions to coastal areas. A sign at Edinburgh train station warns commuters about disruption due to Storm Floris Grey skies and choppy waters at the promenade in Blackpool as the tower stands in the background A lifeguard struggles to erect a flag in the high winds on a beach in Northern Ireland ScotRail has asked anyone with garden equipment such as trampolines to keep them secure, as Storm Floris begins to hit Scotland. Posting on social media, the rail operator said: 'We're asking anyone with garden equipment, such as tents, trampolines or furniture, to secure items so that they don't blow onto the tracks and interfere with lineside equipment.' Scottish Government minister Angela Constance also urged people to check on the welfare of vulnerable neighbours as Storm Floris hits Scotland. The Justice Secretary told the Good Morning Scotland radio programme: 'If you have an elderly relative or neighbour who may be a wee bit vulnerable, please be a good neighbour, be friendly, just check they're alright. She said anyone who has to travel is likely to face disruption and should plan ahead, adding: 'Consider this a winter journey as opposed to a summer journey. 'Please make sure you've got warm clothes, food, water, plenty of fuel and that your mobile phone is charged up. ' Western coastal areas are expected to bear the brunt of the storm although strong winds and rain will likely lead to disruption at Edinburgh's festivals. Network Rail said several lines will be closed from 12pm on Monday, with all other routes experiencing a reduced timetable and longer journey times. Edinburgh - Fife/Perth/Dundee, Perth - Dundee/Aberdeen/Inverness and the West Highland Line are among the routes that will close at noon. Ferry operator CalMac has also issued a series of cancellations ahead of the storm. 'Heavy rain may also contribute to the disruption in places.' The warning zone covers Scotland, parts of Northern Ireland, north Wales and the north of England. Storm Floris is the sixth named storm of the 2024-25 naming season, which runs from early September to late August. January's Storm Eowyn was the most recent. A 'danger to life' alert is in place for most of Scotland today. And a yellow warning for wind has also been issued for as far south as Manchester and north Wales - as well as the entirety of Northern Ireland between 6am and midnight tomorrow. In a post on X offering advice on how to stay safe in a storm, the Met Office said: 'Storm Floris is forecast to bring strong winds and heavy rain for parts of the UK from Monday. Stay #WeatherReady and check out some advice from our partners about keeping yourself, your home, and your garden safe.' Other advice included 'opening internal doors only as needed' and 'closing them behind you', as well as parking vehicles in a garage, securing loose objects such as ladders, garden furniture or anything else that could be blown into windows - and staying indoors as much as possible. Experts have also warned of potential travel disruption when the summer storm hits, with the Scottish Transport Secretary saying the unseasonable weather makes raising awareness even more important. Avanti West Coast said services are likely to be impacted in Lancaster, Oxenholme, Penrith, Carlisle, Lockerbie, Motherwell, Haymarket, Glasgow Central and Edinburgh. Tickets dated for Monday for these areas will be accepted on Sunday and Tuesday, it added. Scottish Transport Secretary Fiona Hyslop said a meeting had been held on Friday to ensure the country is ready for the storm, adding: 'Given the unusual timing, and the fact some people will be on holiday, travelling or perhaps unaware, we are trying to raise even more awareness than usual of this potentially disruptive storm. 'Please check with operators as we do expect rail, ferries, roads and bridges to be disrupted on Monday across the country. 'This is a slightly unusual situation for August, however the message is the same as winter - plan ahead, check your journey in advance, allow extra time, and don't take any unnecessary risks. 'Officials will be monitoring the situation and are ready to stand up the Multi Agency Response Team, if required. 'I am grateful to those who are giving up their weekend and time off to help co-ordinate the transport sector's response. 'Traffic Scotland, Police Scotland, Sepa, local authorities and others will communicate any closures to the public and provide real-time updates.' Scottish ferry operator CalMac has issued a series of cancellation warnings ahead of the storm. 'Disruption to sailings is expected across our network on Monday August 4 due to forecasted strong winds across parts of Scotland's west coast,' it posted on X. A family fights against the wind as they walk down Blackpool Promenade Giselle Munoz Alarcon (left) and Dominica Sepulveda Gutierrez shield from the wind at Carrickfergus Castle, County Antrim Elsewhere, motorists have been urged to slow down in poor weather and avoid exposed Highland and coastal routes. Rod Dennis, of the RAC breakdown service, said: 'This unseasonable bout of stormy weather will mean drivers in the north and west of the UK need to take extra care at the start of next week. 'It's the height of the holiday season, so those towing trailers and caravans, as well as those with roof and tent boxes, must ensure their loads are properly secured.' Shaun Jones, of the AA, said: 'If you're planning a journey - especially through exposed or rural areas - it's worth checking the latest forecast, allow extra time, and be prepared for the unexpected. 'Keep both hands on the wheel, especially on open roads and motorways, and be mindful of high-sided vehicles and cyclists who may be more affected by gusts. 'Watch out for fallen branches or debris, particularly in rural areas - this could be telltale signs of a fallen tree ahead.' Met Office chief meteorologist Matthew Lehnert said: 'Across the warning area, many inland areas are likely to see gusts of 40-50mph, with 60-70mph more likely at higher elevations and around exposed coasts in Scotland. 'There is a small chance that some locations here could even record gusts of 85mph.' The strongest winds will most likely affect Scotland on Monday afternoon and night but 'there remains some uncertainty in the depth and track of Floris', a spokesman added. 'Winds will first ease in the west during later Monday but remaining very strong overnight until early Tuesday in the east. 'Heavy rain may also contribute to the disruption in places.' The warning zone covers Scotland, parts of Northern Ireland, north Wales and the north of England.
Times
3 hours ago
- Times
Water firms cause more than 100 potentially illegal sewage spills a day
England's water companies are causing more than 100 potentially illegal raw sewage spills a day into rivers and seas, far more than previously thought, The Times can reveal. New data, which suggests a previously unknown level of widespread breaches of the law, shows Anglian Water was the worst offender, followed by South West Water and the crisis-hit Thames Water. The potentially illegal nature of many of the spills raises the prospect of a wave of prosecutions and potential multimillion-pound fines for water firms. Regulators said the figures were 'unacceptable' and they would not hesitate to take enforcement action against breaches of permits. Raw sewage is legally permitted to pour into waterways from relief outfalls, known as storm overflows, on days of heavy rainfall. Those legal spills, which lasted a record 3.61 million hours last year, have sparked public outrage and targets from ministers to halve them.
The Independent
3 hours ago
- The Independent
Train services axed because of dry soil
A train timetable has been cut because soil along the route is too dry. South Western Railway (SWR) said it has 'no alternative' but to run reduced services from London Waterloo to Devon. This is because a lack of moisture in clay soil embankments has disturbed track levels, preventing trains from safely travelling at full speed. This year saw the second driest spring on record for England, while summer rainfall has been just below average across the UK. SWR said the dry conditions have removed moisture from embankments between Gillingham in Dorset and Axminster in Devon, causing them to shrink. This has disturbed the track sitting above these embankments, so the speed limit for trains on a 12-mile stretch has been cut from 85mph to 40mph. From August 11 until further notice there will only be one train every two hours from London Waterloo to Exeter St Davids, Devon – reduced from one per hour – which will take approximately one hour longer than usual. One train per hour will operate from London Waterloo to Yeovil Junction, Somerset, with journey times extended by around 25 minutes. SWR warned that dry conditions are 'set to continue', so further speed restrictions 'may be required'. Attempting to stabilise the track now would 'only provide a short-lived fix as the soil continues to move', it added. SWR chief operating officer Stuart Meek said: 'We are very sorry for the disruption that customers will experience due to this change, as we know just how important the West of England line is to the communities it serves. 'We have not taken this decision lightly and we recognise the impact that it will have on customers west of Yeovil in particular. 'However, to continue operating a safe and reliable service, we have no alternative but to introduce a reduced timetable. 'We always aim to minimise disruption and so, together with our colleagues at Network Rail, we will carefully monitor train performance and work hard to give customers a service that they can rely on. 'We encourage customers to plan ahead via our website and allow extra time to complete their journeys.' Network Rail operations director Tom Desmond said: 'The safety of our customers is our number one priority, which is why we must impose these speed restrictions between Gillingham and Axminster. 'We want to give customers the longest notice possible of timetable changes, and following a comprehensive analysis of ground and track conditions, we know that we must make changes in the next two weeks. 'We have worked closely with our colleagues at South Western Railway to understand the impact of the speed restrictions, and we will regularly review conditions in order to restore the normal timetable as soon as possible.' The amended timetable will restore services to Crewkerne, Somerset which has been served by buses since July 28 because of dried out embankments. SWR became the first operator brought into public ownership by the Labour Government in May.
