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Travel chaos as motorway and railway lines blocked by flash flooding
27 September 2024, 07:46
Commuters are facing travel chaos this morning as further rain and flooding has blocked railway lines and a major motorway.
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National Highways says the M5 is closed northbound between J16 and J14 and the southbound carriageway is closed between J14 and J15 as emergency services work to clear the flooding.
Parts of England were lashed by heavy rain and flooding in the early hours of Friday.
The Met Office issued an amber warning for areas of the Midlands and the south of the country overnight, with the advisory expiring at 6am.
A yellow rain warning persists for large parts of England and Wales before the wet weather finally eases into the afternoon.
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Areas affected by the amber warning - including Milton Keynes, Oxfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Leicestershire and the West Midlands - were struck by flash floods as the Met Office warned the regions could see 30-40mm of rainfall within three hours.
As of 6am, the Environment Agency had 63 flood warnings in place across England, meaning flooding is expected, and 121 flood alerts, meaning flooding is possible.
Recent flooding in areas including Bedfordshire, Northamptonshire and Oxfordshire have brought widespread travel disruption and damage to properties.
According to the Met Office warning, the weather could lead to difficult driving conditions and road closures, homes and businesses are likely to be flooded and there is a "good chance" some communities will be cut off due to floods.
Delays and cancellations to train and bus services and power cuts are also likely while footage shared on social media showed cars battling through partially submerged roads.
Avon Fire and Rescue Service said it was working with National Highways: South-West to rescue people stranded on the M5 in Gloucestershire after heavy rainfall flooded the motorway.
Afternoon travel update
ROADS
The M25 is blocked anticlockwise between Junction 26 for Waltham Abbey and Junction 25 for Enfield because of an accident involving two cars
There are long delays on the M25 clockwise towards Junction 14 for Heathrow as two lanes are closed for emergency pothole repairs
On the M26 westbound there are long delays towards Junction 5 for the M25 because of an accident, one lane is closed for recovery work
TUBES
No service on Northern Line between Finchley Central and High Barnet and severe delays between Finchley Central and Camden Town
Minor delays on the Circle Line
TRAINS
Delays of up to 45 minutes and some cancellations on East Midlands Railway and Thameslink between St Pancras and Bedford
Flooding causes delays between Shrewsbury and Wolverhampton
There have been several incidents reported which are affecting services, including:
- Signalling cables being stolen at Albrighton
- Flooding at Wellington station
- A tree blocking the line between Shrewsbury and Craven Arms
The problems are causing delays on these Transport for Wales services:
- Between Holyhead/Crewe/Aberystwyth/Shrewsbury and Birmingham International
- Between Manchester Piccadilly/Holyhead and Cardiff Central
- Between Manchester Piccadilly and Milford Haven
- Between Shrewsbury and Llandrindod/Swansea
There are also issues on West Midlands Railway services between Shrewsbury and Birmingham New Street.
These delays are expected to last until midday.
Flooding across the midlands
Our reporters are seeing flooding of roads in Leicestershire and Warwickshire.
Here are some photos from Leicestershire:
And a nursing clinic in Nuneaton also saw flooding last night:
Yellow rain warning in place for South East.
A yellow rain warning persists for large parts of England and Wales before the wet weather finally eases into the afternoon.
Severe delays on motorways due to flooding
In Gloucestershire, the M5 is closed both ways between Junction 16, A38 and Junction 14, Thornbury and there are severe delays both ways.
Also in Gloucestershire, the A433 London Road is closed both ways between Cirencester and Tetbury
In Berkshire, in Reading, the A4 London Road is closed Westbound
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