Storm Bram slams Britain: Flooding, transport chaos and nationwide disruption

Storm Bram has swept across Britain with powerful 90mph winds, triggering widespread disruption to rail, road and ferry services. The storm brought torrential rainfall throughout the day, forcing flight and ferry cancellations and causing delays expected to continue into tomorrow.

The Met Office issued both amber and yellow weather warnings for heavy rain and strong winds across Northern Scotland, the region hit hardest by the storm. Network Rail confirmed that multiple train routes have been suspended as flooding and debris obstruct tracks.

Several major roads have introduced speed restrictions, with some areas permitting only cars and single-decker buses. In Greater Manchester, a southbound stretch of the M66 was closed due to severe flooding and a multi-vehicle collision, while the M48 Severn Bridge was temporarily shut down during the worst conditions.

Across the Republic of Ireland, around 25,000 homes, farms and businesses were left without electricity after the storm triggered major power outages. National Grid later reported that an additional 3,000 properties in Britain were also without power, including more than 1,200 in the West Midlands and 600 in the South-West.

Flooding on railway lines caused further travel chaos, with Great Western Railway suspending services between Swindon and Bristol and between Par and Newquay in Cornwall. ScotRail halted several routes, Avanti West Coast imposed speed limits north of Preston, and TransPennine Express cancelled all services between Edinburgh and Carlisle from 1pm onwards.

Transport for Wales also reported multiple disruptions, with services affected between Aberdare and Abercynon, Radyr and Cardiff Central, as well as Bangor and Holyhead.

Source: Yahoo