DRIVING HOME FOR CHRISTMAS?
Floods cause chaos on roads and rail
MOTORISTS embarking on a Christmas getaway this weekend will face yet more disruption in the south of England after flooding forced the closure of the M23 for nine hours yesterday.
A total of 71 flood warnings issued by the Environment Agency remained in place last night, with the vast majority affecting southern counties, including Surrey, Kent, East and West Sussex, Hampshire, Essex and Devon.
Persistent rain is forecast for vast swathes of southern England, raising the prospect of even more travel chaos across road and rail networks throughout the weekend.
The Meteorological Office issued a severe weather warning for heavy rain across southern regions from midday today until noon tomorrow.
Although there may be only 30mm of rainfall, forecasters warned that it could cause immense disruption as it comes after heavy downpours.
The appalling weather ruined hundreds of people’s plans to fly abroad for Christmas after rail and road routes to Gatwick Airport became submerged. Easyjet said passengers who missed flights due to the weather were offered alternative flights free of charge.
Network Rail said floodwaters had “completely submerged tracks in some areas”, affecting services by Southern, Thameslink and Gatwick Express.
About 70 trains between Brighton and Gatwick were cancelled, forcing many holidaymakers to resort to taxis and buses to try to reach the airport.
However, a watercourse near the M23 overflowed its banks shortly after 5am, causing the normally busy motorway to close between junctions 10 and 11 until 2.30pm. The traffic gridlock that ensued meant many motorists’ journeys took an extra two hours to complete. Many people simply gave up and returned home.
Angela Root, 55, and her partner Edward Barnard, 45, missed their 11.55am Air Malta flight to Malta despite leaving their home in Clacton-on-sea at 7am. The couple may now have to spend £550 on new flights to continue their planned seven-day Christmas break.
“It’s been a nightmare,” Miss Root, a teaching assistant, said. “It should have taken us two and a half hours maximum. But we hit floods on the A12 in Essex, then the M23 was closed.”
Meanwhile, rail routes were severely disrupted when the heavy rain caused landslips.
Tons of earth collapsed at 8.30am between Guildford and Godalming to block a tunnel on the Southern Western Railway line for eight hours. Although engineers cleared the tracks delays were likely to last much of today.
Passengers on a train to Guildford told how their driver applied the emergency brakes after spotting the obstruction near St Catherine’s tunnel.
No Southeastern trains were able to run between Maidstone West and Strood due to a landslip.
A Highways England spokesman urged motorists to reduce their speed in heavy rain and allow a greater stopping distance. He added: “Further rain is expected so people are advised to check the forecast and current conditions before travelling.”