Storm Causes Major Headache For Commuters

Rail passengers left stranded by hurricane-strength winds have criticised train companies, claiming they were not kept fully informed.

Hundreds of services were cancelled as a severe storm battered the South and the South East, felling more than 200 trees.

The strong winds also caused damage to overhead power lines, with parts of the rail network so badly affected that several operators, including East Coast, Virgin and East Midlands, urged customers heading to or from London not to travel at all on Monday.

Passengers at London Waterloo were going nowhere fast

Network Rail, the company responsible for Britain's rail infrastructure, defended its response to the storm and the decision to cancel early morning services, saying: "Safety remains our top priority."

However, Graham Collins, who was among those trying to get from Guildford, Surrey, to the capital, told Sky News: "The problem is that you're drip fed information. It's just frustrating."

A mother who was attempting to travel to north Wales with her son for a half term walking holiday said: "It would have been better if there was more accurate information on the internet. The people at the station are doing the best they can but I overheard one of them saying the information on their websites is inaccurate anyway."

A tree on the tracks between Farnham and Alton. Pic: Network Rail/Twitter

Dominic Tuohy, a South African who was stuck at Ipswich train station, added: "It's ridiculous. In my country we manage to get around (any severe weather) but here there's a bit of wind ... and everything gets closed down."

Many train companies announced cancellations or suspensions to services as early as Sunday, as the storm, dubbed St Jude, raced across the Atlantic.

However, asked whether they had overreacted to the risk posed by the storm, Prime Minister David Cameron said:  "Everyone has to act on the basis of the evidence that they are given.

A London bus was hit by a falling tree in Haringey. Pic: Ben Hewis/Twitter

"Afterwards we'll be able to look back and see whether people made the right decisions but right now what matters is listening to the evidence, working together and getting things back to normal."

The strong winds and heavy rain also caused disruption on the roads, with a number of major routes affected.

Both Severn estuary crossings were closed, as well as the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge and the Sheppey Crossing in Kent.

A lorry overturned on the M11 in Essex, while the A2 was shut in west Kent because of the number of fallen trees.

The clean up begins in London. Pic: madebymartha/madebymartha/Twitter

Countless local roads were also closed, as emergency services and council crews battled to remove fallen trees and other debris.

At Heathrow airport, about 130 flights were cancelled, although Gatwick said it was operating a "near normal service".

Rough seas whipped up by the strong winds also caused cancellations to ferry services, including English Channel, Irish Sea and Penzance-Isles of Scilly crossings.

Brittany Ferries also cancelled services between Plymouth and Roscoff, Poole and Cherbourg and Portsmouth and Bilbao.

The Port of Dover was closed for a time but has since reopened, although a spokesman confirmed around 50 cars parked by customers on a Fred Olsen cruise were damaged when waves crashed over the harbour wall.

Among the transport operators which continue to experience disruption are:

Trains

:: Greater Anglia has suspended services on most routes, with customers advised not to travel for the rest of the day.

:: Stansted Express services are suspended until further notice.

:: East Coast has no service south of Peterborough, with no trains running in or out of London King's Cross. There is "no firm indication" about when services will be resumed and passengers are advised not to travel.

:: East Midlands Trains has advised customers travelling to or from London not to attempt their journeys. It has suspended services between Bedford and London St Pancras for the rest of the day because of fallen trees.

:: C2C says all services are suspended between Shoeburyness and London Fenchurch Street.

:: First Hull Trains and Grand Central services are suspended between Peterborough and London King's Cross because of overhead wire problems at New Southgate.

:: London Midland has an "extremely limited service" between Northampton, Milton Keynes, Watford and London Euston and urged passengers not to travel into London where possible.

:: South West Trains is operating a "significantly reduced timetable" for the remainder of the day and asked passengers not to travel. There is no service between Weymouth and Bournemouth, Eastleigh and Fareham via Botley and Hedge End, Lymington and Brockenhurst, Ascot and Aldershot via Camberley, Aldershot and Guildford via Wanborough, Shepperton and Fulwell, and Virginia Water and Weybridge via Chertsey.

:: Southeastern has resumed service on most of its lines. However, tracks between Deal and Dover, Bat and Ball and Sevenoaks, Eynsford and Shoreham and Otford and Maidstone East remain closed.

:: Southern Railway has reopened most of its routes, although the Tonbridge to Redhill and Redhill to Reigate lines are still blocked by fallen trees.

:: First Capital Connect has advised passengers not to travel, warning that some lines, including London to Luton, may remain closed all day.

:: Arriva Trains Wales services between Barry and Bridgend are cancelled or delayed because of flooding. Trains between Rhoose Cardiff International Airport and Bridgend are delayed, again because of flooding.

:: London Overground services have been part suspended, although trains are running between Gospel Oak and Barking, Highbury and Islington and New Cross/New Cross Gate, Euston and Watford Junction, and New Cross Gate and West Croydon/Crystal Palace.

:: London Underground has delays due to part suspensions on the District and Piccadilly lines.

Planes

:: Heathrow airport is experiencing some disruption following earlier cancellations, with passengers advised to contact their airline before travelling.

Ferries

:: Brittany Ferries has announced cancellations between Plymouth and Roscoff, Poole and Cherbourg and Portsmouth and Bilbao.

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