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The UK is bracing itself for the arrival of Storm Ciaran, which is expected to cause extensive disruptions in travel until Saturday. Cancellations and delays are anticipated as the country prepares for the impact of the weather event.
The Met Office has released two warnings of “danger to life” in the form of amber alerts, which are the second highest level of caution. These warnings cover England and Wales as the UK experiences heavy rain and strong winds starting from Wednesday evening. This has led to the cancellation of flights and disruptions to train and ferry travel.
The Met Office’s representative, Oli Claydon, stated that the storm is expected to bring strong winds of 70mph to 80mph along the coast and could even reach up to 85mph. They are advising people to avoid going near the water’s edge due to extremely hazardous conditions.
The country of Northern Ireland has experienced flooding, as indicated by a yellow rain warning from the Met Office that was effective until 9am on Wednesday.
The most severe weather is expected at sea, as forecasters are predicting waves up to 14 meters (45 feet) in the Bay of Biscay near the coast of Brittany. Strong gusts of over 160km/h (100mph) are also a concern.
All UK-Spain voyages crossing the Bay of Biscay on Thursday have been cancelled by Brittany Ferries. According to a source from the ferry industry, the Bay of Biscay and Irish Sea will be particularly treacherous. In the English Channel, it will be more chaotic, like a bull in a china shop, with the most severe effects expected on Thursday as the storm moves from west to east.
DFDS Ferries has cancelled all sailings between the UK and France until Friday morning. Their usual route connects Dover to both Calais and Dunkirk. In a statement, the company announced that sailings from the 11.59pm departure on November 1st until the 2am departure on November 3rd have been halted due to severe weather conditions.
Passengers who have been affected can reach out to the company to reschedule their bookings.
The UK is expected to experience heavy rain and strong winds as Storm Ciaran approaches.
DFDS announced that their Newhaven-Dieppe connection will be halted for 24 hours starting from Wednesday evening.
Condor Ferries have cancelled their sailings to and from Jersey until Saturday. The island’s airport is to be closed all day on Thursday, leading to the cancellation of dozens of flights including four to and from London Heathrow.
Passengers were informed that the airport would be closed for commercial use on Thursday. However, it would still be accessible for emergency and medical flights. The airport is set to resume commercial operations on Friday, pending a thorough assessment of its infrastructure.
The UK’s busiest airport, Heathrow, is experiencing numerous cancellations. British Airways has suspended 30 domestic and European flights, including two round trips to Amsterdam, two to Belfast City, and two to Paris CDG. Affected travelers can either be accommodated on alternate flights or opt for a full refund.
KLM has cancelled five round-trip flights between Amsterdam and Heathrow due to reduced runway availability at the Dutch airport.
Numerous travelers who were planning to transfer from various UK airports through Amsterdam Schiphol are now discovering that their Thursday flights have been terminated.
KLM Royal Dutch Airlines informed passengers that due to anticipated weather conditions at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, the runway capacity would be reduced on Thursday, November 2nd. As a result, a few of their flights have been cancelled. They apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.
A female individual attempts to navigate through the flooded streets of Ireland following significant rainfall that resulted in widespread flooding.
KLM has suspended operations at all 17 UK airports, including Bristol and Inverness. Approximately 50 flights between Amsterdam and the UK have been impacted. The most heavily affected airports are London City, London Heathrow, and Manchester.
KLM will provide passengers with free rerouting services, including accommodations and meals if needed, until they reach their final destination.
Train companies in the southwest of England and Wales, as well as Scotland, are anticipating significant disruptions.
According to Network Rail, there may be travel disruptions in Wales, southern England, and the Midlands on Thursday due to heavy rain and strong winds. The northeast of England and central and eastern Scotland may also experience similar conditions on Thursday and Friday.
“Due to inclement weather, passengers are advised to allocate additional time for their travels and to check for any disruptions to services before embarking.”
GWR is recommending that travelers do not journey to Cornwall until at least noon on Thursday. All trains on the main line heading west of St Austell towards Penzance and the branch lines have been cancelled during this time period.
“According to GWR, individuals with Wednesday evening tickets can now travel earlier in the day to assist with their journey. Due to the impending storm Ciaran, there is a possibility for last-minute changes or cancellations of services throughout the Great Western Railway network on Thursday, November 2nd. This is due to the predicted heavy rain and high winds.”
The storm will cause problems for roads, making them dangerous and potentially leading to closures, which could affect the availability of alternative transportation by rail.
A new round of wind and rain is expected to arrive in the UK with Storm Ciaran, as amber weather warnings have been issued for Thursday due to the potential danger to life.
LNER has issued a warning about potential service disruptions on the East Coast Main Line, which connects London King’s Cross to Yorkshire, northeast England, and Scotland. The disruptions are due to Storm Ciaran and are expected to last until Saturday, November 4th. Passengers are advised not to travel on Thursday or Friday.
The train company stated that it is highly recommended for customers to refrain from traveling on November 2nd and November 3rd.
“LNER trains will operate, but significant disruptions are expected, such as lengthy delays, spontaneous cancellations, and overcrowding. Service changes may occur on Saturday, November 4th as we strive to restore our regular schedule.”
All regional express trains in the Hauts de France region, which extends from north of Paris to Calais and Dunkirk, have been cancelled due to anticipated severe winds. The train company has issued a warning, stating that for the safety of passengers and employees, all TER Hauts-de-France services will be suspended on Thursday, November 2 and may also be affected on Friday morning, November 3.
Source: independent.co.uk
