Severe delays to road and train travel
There is severe disruption on the roads and rails today as very strong winds and heavy rain continue to hit the South West.
One lane is closed on A38 Tamar Bridge in both directions in Plymouth between The Toll Booths, St Budeaux, Plymouth and Saltash, Cornwall, because of strong winds.
There are hazardous driving conditions affecting both directions on the A38/The Parkway in Plymouth between Marsh Mills Roundabout and Weston Mill, because of surface water.
Train companies have advised customers to only travel this afternoon, if absolutely necessary and to check their service before travelling.
The train line between Exeter St Davids and Barnstaple is not running due to the tracks flooding.
South West trains have confirmed that all tickets dated for today (Monday 23 December) will also be valid for travel tomorrow (Tuesday 24 December), to make up for the disrupted travel plans.
CrossCountry have lifted its ticket restrictions have been lifted for today so that those travelling on the service can get an earlier train.
• Trains between Effingham Junction and Guildford are being delayed by up to 60 minutes because of a tree on the line between Horsley and Clandon
• From approximately 1pm services between London Waterloo and Weymouth will only run between London Waterloo and Bournemouth. An hourly shuttle will run between Bournemouth and Weymouth calling at all stations
• Services to and from Exeter St Davids / Yeovil Junction will start from / terminate at Salisbury
• Some South West Trains services on various routes between London Waterloo and Reading, London Waterloo and Guildford and London Waterloo and Shepperton via Richmond after 17:00 are cancelled. Passengers are advised to travel on the next available service
First Great Western trains travelling between Exeter and Paignton and Plymouth and Penzance will be running at a restricted speed after 3pm seeing delays of nearly an hour.
From 3pm until 9pm a 50 mph speed restriction will be imposed on all lines between Exeter and Plymouth / Paington and as consequence, trains may be delayed by up to 50 minutes.
From 4pm a 50 mph speed restriction will be imposed on Thames Valley Routes between London and Oxford / Westbury / Swindon and as a consequence, trains may be delayed by up to 35 minutes on these routes too.
CrossCountry has said it is planning to run a normal service today but advises passengers to check their journeys before travelling as services may be subjected to delay or short notice cancellation later this afternoon and into the evening.
CrossCountry passengers may travel on earlier services, as ticket restrictions have been lifted for today.
First Great Western Passengers with tickets dated for travelling tomorrow, 24 December, may travel at any time today instead.
Passengers that have been delayed getting to the station, or on other train operators services, and have missed their booked First Great Western service, are permitted to travel on the next service forward, irrespective of the type of ticket held.
Forecasters say the rain should clear South East England on Tuesday morning, with the winds moderating from the west.
Eddy Carroll, chief forecaster at the Met Office, said: "We can expect stormy weather in many areas to start the Christmas week, but looking forward to Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, we are expecting it to turn colder, with a mix of wintry showers and sunny spells but for wind speeds to drop. So there is a chance that some places may see a White Christmas.
"Throughout this unsettled spell Met Office forecasters and advisors are working round the clock with our partners to keep everyone up to date with the latest forecast information so they can plan and prepare for the expected weather."
Communities across southern and south west England were also asked by the Environment Agency to be vigilant and take action to protect their homes from possible flooding. They have also warned people to stay away from promenades along the south west coast today and Tuesday because of the wet and windy conditions.
Rivers that are slow to respond to rainfall - like the lower reaches of the River Severn - could also pose a flood risk into Boxing Day.
People who are set to be away for the festive period are urged to check the flood risk for their local area and, if necessary, take steps to protect valuable items left at home.
Drivers are also urged to check the latest flood updates ahead of their journey - and to not to drive through dangerous floodwater.
The warning comes after a joint Environment Agency and AA survey found more than half (54 per cent) of UK drivers - around 18 million drivers - would endanger themselves and their vehicles by driving through moving flood water.
“If there is widespread flooding in your area then don’t travel and if a road is closed then turn around and make a detour. Your journey could take you a little longer but making the right decision could ultimately save your life,” said Stephen Marks for the Environment Agency.
“Unsettled weather is set to continue throughout the Christmas period, with heavy rain and wind affecting many parts of England, so people should check the flood forecast on the Environment Agency website to help plan - and sign up to flood warnings.”
Throughout the festive period, Environment Agency teams will be out checking flood defences, monitoring river levels and supporting local authorities who will respond to any reports of surface water flooding.
The Met Office forecast for the next five days is as follows:
Today:
A very wet and windy day with widespread gales, reaching severe gale-force along the coasts and hills. The rain will be heavy, especially across Dartmoor, with localised flooding possible. Maximum Temperature 12 °C.
Outlook for Tuesday to Thursday:
Windy Tuesday, with showers, perhaps wintry over the moors. Christmas Day will be chilly with a few showers, but also lighter winds and some brightness. Largely fine on Thursday.
Meanwhile, bookmaker William Hill reported a further run of money for a White Christmas - particularly across Scotland where it is now 2/1 that at least one snowflake falls in Aberdeen, Glasgow or Edinburgh.
Met Office weather forecasts and warnings can be found on the Met Office website and you can follow the Met Office on Twitter at @metoffice and Facebook.
