Storm Goretti live: rail networks in England suspend services as 380,000 homes in France lose power
Disruption in travel throughout the UK Here are the latest updates regarding travel disruptions, provided by the PA news agency:
Transport for Wales has announced the suspension of services on most of its routes on Friday. The affected routes include: Llandudno Junction to Llandudno; Llandudno Junction to Blaenau Ffestiniog; Wrexham to Bidston; Craven Arms to Swansea (via Heart of Wales Line); west of Carmarthen; Maesteg to Ebbw; Hereford to Shrewsbury; Shrewsbury to Birmingham International; and Shrewsbury to Aberystwyth. Other routes will experience reduced service throughout the day.
On Friday morning, the West Midlands Metro tram network was unable to function in Birmingham due to a fallen tree. The network stated: “Due to fallen trees along our tram line, no service is running between Wednesbury Great Western and Edgbaston Village.” Consequently, trams will only operate between Wolverhampton Station and Wednesbury Great Western.
National Express West Midlands, the bus operator, reported that all services were suspended until at least 8:30 AM “due to challenging road conditions and low temperatures.”
Chiltern Railways, which intends to maintain around half of its usual timetable, has stated it will not operate services north of Birmingham Moor Street or on the route to Stratford-upon-Avon. Stations at Hatton, Lapworth, Kings Sutton, Sudbury Hill Harrow, Sudbury & Harrow Road, and South Ruislip are also not expected to be served today. There will be no rail replacement buses operated, according to a statement from Chiltern on its website.
Avanti West Coast has recommended that travelers refrain from using its Midlands routes until 1 PM on Friday. The train operator mentioned: “An amended timetable will be in place across all routes from 0700 until 1500, when we anticipate services to normalize. We strongly suggest traveling outside these hours if feasible.”
National Highways reported that three out of four northbound lanes of the M1 motorway are shut between Junction 28 for Mansfield and Junction 29 for Chesterfield following a collision involving a lorry. Recovery efforts for the lorry are underway, and specialized winter fleet vehicles are heading to clear snow accumulated in the closed lanes. Drivers may encounter delays of up to half an hour as congestion stretches for four miles.
Furthermore, National Highways indicated that the A628 Woodhead Pass, which links Greater Manchester and South Yorkshire, remains closed in both directions between the A616 for Flouch and the A57 for Hollingworth because of snow. Motorists are advised to utilize the M60, M62, and M1 as alternative routes.
Lastly, National Highways has announced that the A30 in Cornwall is closed in both directions between the A394 for Longrock and the A3074 for Longstone due to “a significant number of fallen trees obstructing the road.” Specialist crews are working to remove the trees from the roadway.
Share Updated at 08:34 GMT Key events Show key events only Please enable JavaScript to use this feature Cornwall council has urged residents to avoid travel on Friday morning. It stated:
Roads and public transport are still hindered this morning as we manage the aftermath of Storm Goretti. Please avoid travel if possible.
It added:
Many roads remain closed due to fallen trees, downed power lines, and debris.
Our teams are working tirelessly to clear these obstacles, and we ask that you provide crews the space needed to conduct vital repairs safely.
Council workers are removing fallen trees from a road following Storm Goretti’s passage on Thursday night in Falmouth, Cornwall. Photograph: Hugh Hastings/Getty Images Share Birmingham airport and East Midlands reopen but caution regarding reduced service and delays Birmingham airport has confirmed its runway has reopened with a limited service, advising passengers to confirm their flight status with the respective airline. It stated:
Our runway has reopened on a limited basis, and our teams are striving to get passengers on their way as efficiently as we can.
While we apologize for any disruption caused by Storm Goretti, the safety of our colleagues and customers is our top priority.
Travelers scheduled to fly are urged to verify the status of their flights with their airline.
East Midlands airport has also resumed operations after a temporary runway closure this morning due to heavy snow, announcing: Following a temporary runway closure this morning due to heavy snow, our runway is back open, and flights have resumed. Nevertheless, there may be delays throughout the day.
Travel disrupted across the UK Here are some of the latest travel disruption updates, courtesy of the PA news agency:
Transport for Wales said it will not run services on the majority of its routes on Friday. They include: Llandudno Junction to Llandudno; Llandudno Junction to Blaenau Ffestiniog; Wrexham to Bidston; Craven Arms to Swansea (via Heart of Wales Line); west of Carmarthen; Maesteg to Ebbw; Hereford to Shrewsbury; Shrewsbury to Birmingham International; and Shrewsbury to Aberystwyth. Its other routes will have a reduced service all day.
Services on the West Midlands Metro tram network were unable to operate in Birmingham on Friday morning due to a fallen tree. A statement issued by the network said: “Due to fallen trees along our tram line, no service is running between Wednesbury Great Western and Edgbaston Village.” The closure means trams are operating between Wolverhampton Station and Wednesbury Great Western only.
Bus operator National Express West Midlands said all services were suspended until at least 8.30am “due to difficult road conditions and low temperatures”.
Chiltern Railways, which plans to operate around half of its normal timetable, said it was not running services north of Birmingham Moor Street or on the line to Stratford-upon-Avon. Stations at Hatton, Lapworth, Kings Sutton, Sudbury Hill Harrow, Sudbury & Harrow Road and South Ruislip will also not be served today. Rail replacement buses will not be in operation, Chiltern said in a statement on its website.
Avanti West Coast said “do not travel” advice is in place on its Midlands routes until 1pm on Friday. The train operator, which runs services on the West Coast Main Line, said: “An amended timetable will operate across all routes from 0700 until 1500, when we currently expect services to return to normal. We strongly recommend travelling outside these times if possible.”
National Highways said three out of four northbound lanes of the M1 motorway are closed between Junction 28 for Mansfield and Junction 29 for Chesterfield after a crash involving a lorry. Recovery of the lorry has started and specialised winter fleet vehicles are en route to clear snow which has settled in the closed lanes. Drivers face delays of up to half an hour as congestion stretches for four miles.
National Highways said the A628 Woodhead Pass connecting Greater Manchester and South Yorkshire remains closed in both directions between the A616 for Flouch and the A57 for Hollingworth because of snow. Drivers are advised to use the M60, M62 and M1 as an alternative route.
National Highways said the A30 in Cornwall is closed in both directions between the A394 for Longrock and the A3074 for Longstone because of “a large number of fallen trees that are blocking the road.” It added that specialist crews are working to clear the trees from the carriageway.
Share Updated at 08:34 GMT Isles of Scilly residents requested to stay home as emergency services deal with widespread disruption The Council of the Isles of Scilly has released an update this morning after “violent gusts” hit parts of Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly on Thursday. Its teams and the emergency services are still handling extensive disruption from Storm Goretti this morning, including blocked roads, unstable structures and causes of power outages, the shared update stated. The council has requested that residents remain at home unless their travel is necessary to “ensure community safety” and facilitate cleanup efforts. They also recommend that parents and caregivers keep an eye on their emails and the school’s social media pages for the latest information regarding school attendance. It added:
Please exercise caution, provide emergency services and highways teams the space they need to conduct vital repairs, and only travel if absolutely essential.
Share Many schools in Scotland closed for fifth day as wintry weather continues Many schools will stay closed for a fifth day on Friday as Scotland continues to face persistent wintry weather, according to the PA news agency. The Met Office has issued a yellow warning for snow and ice covering a significant portion of Scotland, effective from 8 PM and lasting until midday on Friday. More than 250 schools are set to remain closed on Friday, including over 150 in Aberdeenshire, numerous in the Highlands and Aberdeen, and several in Moray. Many students will have had an entire week off school as the new term begins, although remote learning has been made available in many cases. This follows several days of “intense” snowfall, ice, and subzero temperatures that have resulted in school closures and travel disruption, particularly in the northern regions of the country. A lorry navigating through the snow on the A9 as heavy snow persists, causing disruptions across various areas in the Highlands. Photograph: Paul Campbell/PA Scotland’s first minister John Swinney plans to visit the Aberdeen western peripheral route (AWPR) Amey depot in Aberdeen on Friday to learn about recovery efforts as part of the comprehensive response to the severe weather in northern Scotland. On Thursday, a total of 278 schools were closed across northern Scotland, which accounts for approximately 11% of the school estate – a reduction from the 440 closures reported on Wednesday. Share More travel updates: Ferry operator DFDS announced that all its sailings between Dover and France are experiencing disruptions. It stated:
All services are currently running with delays due to strong winds in the Channel.
Please check-in as usual; we will move all passengers onto the first available sailing upon arrival.
We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause. Share Two rail networks suspend services in England West Midlands Railway has announced a complete suspension of services. It stated:
We are not able to operate any services until the afternoon.
No rail replacement road transport is being offered because of “uncertain road conditions,” it added. London Northwestern Railway has suspended services between Birmingham New Street and Liverpool Lime Street until Friday afternoon. Its services between Birmingham New Street and London Euston are also reduced. Share Updated at 07:42 GMT British Airways cancels dozens of flights at Heathrow British Airways has canceled 25 departures and 27 arrivals that were scheduled for London’s Heathrow airport on Friday. The majority of the affected flights were on short-haul routes, according to the PA news agency. Share Updated at 07:50 GMT We have received an update regarding Birmingham airport, which halted its runway activities on Thursday evening due to heavy snow (refer to 5:42 AM GMT). In a statement on Friday morning, Birmingham airport noted that its runway remains closed but has resumed passenger processing through security. It stated:
Our teams are finalizing snow clearance and safety assessments on the airfield.
Runway operations remain suspended at this time; however, passenger security processing has begun.
We regret any inconvenience this may cause; however, the safety of our colleagues and customers is our utmost priority. Travelers looking to fly are encouraged to reach out to their airline concerning flight status. Share West Midlands facing ‘worst snowfall in a decade’, say officials Officials in the West Midlands have warned of the “worst snowfall in a decade” as parts of England and Wales prepare for 5-10cm of snow on Friday, with some areas expecting up to 15-25cm. In a statement on Wednesday, Stoke-on-Trent city council sought to reassure residents that they had not run out of grit after “misinformation” circulated. They stated:
We are currently experiencing the worst snowfall we’ve seen in 10 years. The Met Office has warned that we might receive 3.5 inches of snow and temperatures could drop as low as minus 4C from Thursday into Friday morning. Thus, we are carefully managing our resources and salt supplies.
The statement continued:
Unfortunately, we have been informed of misinformation circulating concerning the council’s salt availability and gritting operations. It is simply not true that we have run out of grit. Share Amber cold-health alert extended until midday Monday for all regions of England The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) and the Met Office have prolonged the amber cold-health alert by 24 hours on Thursday, meaning all regions of England will remain under this amber alert until 12 PM on Monday, January 12. Earlier this week, Dr. Agostinho Sousa, head of extreme events and health protection at UKHSA, commented:
This current cold spell is expected to persist at least through the weekend, according to Met Office predictions, and we acknowledge that prolonged exposure to low temperatures can severely affect health, particularly for individuals who are older or have serious conditions.
That’s why we’re urging people to check on friends, family, and neighbors who may be more susceptible to the cold and ensure they can stay warm during this cold spell.
UKHSA has made available a variety of guidance, including how to assist vulnerable individuals before and during cold weather and how to remain safe in cold conditions. Share Goretti cuts power to 380,000 homes in France Approximately 380,000 households in France were left without electricity on Friday morning as Storm Goretti swept through northern Europe with strong winds. The vast majority of the impacted households were located in the northern Normandy region, according to a statement from the Enedis power provider, with residents in Brittany, Picardy, and the Ile-de-France regions also affected, Agence France-Presse reports. Meteorologists in both France and Britain have advised residents to remain indoors. Overnight, a wind gust reaching 132mph (213kmh) was recorded in France’s northwestern Manche region, authorities reported. Share Here are some recent images surfacing as Storm Goretti lashes the UK. Snow falling at The Square in Leominster. Photograph: Jim Wood/SOPA Images/Shutterstock A snow-blanketed bike in Ruthin, Wales, Britain. Photograph: Adam Vaughan/EPA A fallen tree obstructs a road in Falmouth, Cornwall. Photograph: Hugh Hastings/Getty Images A motorist traverses a snow-covered road in Ruthin, Wales. Photograph: Adam Vaughan/EPA And a glimpse from France showing a massive wave crashing against the jetty at the harbor of Le Conquet, western France, as Goretti made its approach towards the country’s northern coastline. A gigantic wave crashes against the jetty of the harbor of Le Conquet, western France. Photograph: AFP/Getty Images Share The maximum wind gust recorded from Storm Goretti stood at 99mph in St Marys, as reported by the Met Office on Thursday evening. In its update posted on X, they indicated the next five highest gusts were: Share Updated at 06:24 GMT The storm has caused power outages for 380,000 households in France, according to reports from a power company. We will keep you updated as more information comes in. Share Birmingham airport halted its runway operations on Thursday evening due to heavy snow. They posted on X a short time ago indicating their teams are now “finishing final snow clearance and safety verifications on the airfield.” They also stated:
Runway operations remain suspended at this time; however, passenger security processing has initiated… Travelers should contact their airline for flight status updates. Share Updated at 05:47 GMT Network Rail has advised passengers to verify updates before traveling on Friday morning. Several railway lines in Wales have been closed since Thursday afternoon, and all trains in Cornwall were canceled starting from 6 PM yesterday, with no replacement road transport due to hazardous driving conditions. In Devon, train services between Exeter and Okehampton and between Exeter and Barnstaple were also halted from the same time due to predicted high-wind speeds. National Rail has informed that train services throughout England, Scotland, and Wales may encounter disruptions until the conclusion of Friday due to weather conditions. Jake Kelly, regional director for National Rail, stated that thousands of Network Rail staff are committed to “doing everything possible to keep the railway operational” but expressed concerns that the scope of the storm may still inflict disruptions. A train arriving at the northern English town of Glossop in Derbyshire this week. Photograph: Oli Scarff/AFP/Getty Images Share Updated at 05:40 GMT Blackouts impact 50,000 properties in the southwest More than 50,000 properties have reportedly been without power in southwest England as of Thursday evening, according to the National Grid’s website. In the West Midlands, approximately 9,000 homes were without electricity, while 2,000 were affected in Wales. As mentioned, the Met Office issued a rare red warning for southwest England over “dangerous, stormy” winds. Share Updated at 05:57 GMT ‘Multi-hazard’ Storm Goretti brings heavy rain, strong winds, and snow to the UK Heavy rain, strong winds, and snow affected areas of the UK on Thursday as the “multi-hazard” Storm Goretti struck more exposed regions, prompting travel disruptions and the issuance of red and amber weather warnings nationwide. Storm Goretti, named by Meteo France, escalated into a “weather bomb,” resulting in up to 30 cm of snowfall in Wales and the Midlands, along with winds reaching up to 100mph (160km/h) in exposed hills and coastal zones. Amber weather warnings were declared across the UK on Thursday, given the potential risk to life in various parts of the country, although the Met Office later issued a rare red warning for “dangerous, stormy” winds in southwest England. The warning, effective from 4 PM until 11 PM on Thursday, forecasted “violent gusts” lasting two to three hours in parts of Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. Met Office meteorologist Alex Burkill mentioned that the storm would lead to “wet, windy and wintry weather” across various UK regions. He said Goretti would deliver “strong winds and possibly significant snowfall in central and perhaps southern areas.” He added:
As that rain advances and collides with the cold air we currently have, the northern edge is likely to experience considerable snow as we progress into Friday.
Severe snow and icy conditions are anticipated in Scotland as winter weather persists across the UK. Photograph: Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images There was also a yellow warning for snow and ice in Scotland valid from 10 PM on Wednesday until midday on Thursday, and a yellow warning for ice in Northern Ireland from Wednesday to Thursday morning. National Highways issued its amber warning for snow in the West and East Midlands, commencing at 6 PM on Thursday and remaining in effect until 9 AM on Friday. The agency stated in a release:
Roads, particularly around Birmingham to Leicester and Nottingham, will have especially treacherous driving conditions, and individuals should consider the weather forecast prior to setting out, as considerable delays could be expected.
Rail services have also been impacted, with National Rail advising travelers to confirm their itineraries before setting off, while Eurostar cautioned customers on routes to and from London St Pancras about potential delays and cancellations. Although major airports have indicated their operations will continue as scheduled, airports in Jersey and Guernsey were closed at 6 PM on Thursday due to Storm Goretti. We will provide further weather updates as they become available.
Published: 2026-01-09 08:11:00
source: www.theguardian.com
