Storm Ciaran: Advice for travelling during severe weather
National Highways and South Western Railway say it'll be difficult
As Storm Ciaran draws in for Wiltshire and Hampshire, there's a warning the travelling conditions will be affected in the coming days.
National Highways is advising drivers to take extra care on the roads and be prepared.
They've said motoritsts – particularly those driving high-sided HGVs, motor homes and motorcycles, and those towing caravans and trailers – should check the weather and driving conditions before setting out on journeys and pay particular attention to exposed locations such as coastal and high lying areas and bridges which could be affected by the high winds.
Amy Shaw, National Network Manager at National Highways, said:
“Driving conditions are likely to change given the Met Office forecasts around Storm Ciarán. If you're using the roads slow down and give yourself more space between you and the vehicle in front. It is harder for tyres to grip the road and excess spray makes it harder to see ahead.
“We also remind drivers to remember TRIP – this is a National Highways initiative to help motorists. It stands for: Top-up - fuel, water and oil; Rest - every two hours; Inspect - tyres and lights before a long journey and Prepare - check your journey and the weather forecast before heading out.
“In high winds, there’s a particular risk to lorries, caravans and motorbikes so we’d advise drivers of these vehicles to slow down and drive to the conditions.
“Drivers of other vehicles should be aware of sudden gusts of wind which can affect handling and braking, and give high-sided vehicles, caravans, and motorbikes plenty of space.”
Roadworks scheduled by National Highways in the coming days have also been postponed for safety reasons.
That includes work that was expected to take place on the A303 near Amesbury, between the Longbarrow and Countess roundabouts.
Disruption to trains
South Western Railway (SWR) is also advising customers to consider if their journeys are entirely necessary, and to consider making alternative travel plans on Thursday (2nd November), due to Storm Ciarán.
They've said that for the safety of customers and colleagues, trains will need to travel at lower speeds and timetables will need to be amended to provide a reliable service.
That means there'll only be one train per hour between London Waterloo and Salisbury, with one service every two hours past Salisbury to Exeter St Davids.
The Basingstoke to Salisbury shuttle services will be suspended for the day as well.
An SWR spokesperson said:
“Storm Ciarán will bring heavy rain and strong winds to parts of our network and so, as a precaution, we are making temporary changes to our timetable on Thursday 2nd November.
“Because of the potential for disruption we’re asking our customers to consider if their journeys are entirely necessary. Customers may also wish to consider travelling on alternative days, as ticket acceptance is in place for today and Friday.
“We have been preparing for this storm with our colleagues at Network Rail, but we can’t rule out disruption in those areas of our network on Thursday. In the event of disruption, we won’t be able to run rail replacement bus services, so it’s really important that customers check their whole journey before setting off, if they do intend to travel.”