Croydon Council has teams on standby to deal with any issues resulting from the severe weather expected this afternoon.

An amber warning has been issued for London and the South-East and people have been advised to prepare for disruption.

High winds and extreme rain are likely to disrupt the roads and transport network.

Residents with outdoor Christmas decorations are advised to make sure they are secure or where necessary, temporarily take them down.

A spokesman for Croydon Council said: "As with the last storm the council has teams on standby to deal with issues such as localised flooding or fallen trees blocking roads.

"Both of these can be reported quickly and easily using the ‘My Croydon’ smart phone app which is available free for both iPhones and Android devices.

"Our priority is to keep traffic moving as smoothly as possible, particularly at a time of year when many people may have long journeys ahead of them."

Weather reports indicate the Sussex area will see heavy persistent rain. Southern Rail say their trains will run at reduced speeds from 4pm, which will lead to some trains being cancelled and others delayed.

Train passengers are also warned there is the possibility of blocked lines this evening due to fallen trees, which may lead to greater disruption.

A spokesman for Southern Rail said advance tickets for today and tomorrow will be accepted for travel on any Southern train on either date.

He said: "In order to ensure safe operation on Tuesday 24 December routes will need to be checked and any obstructions cleared before train services can start.

"This is highly likely to lead to services being significantly disrupted or cancelled and it may take some time to clear routes, depending on the extent of damage caused by the storm.

"Passengers are asked to check before they travel and to plan for a later start of train services on Tuesday morning."

 

TODAY'S TOP CROYDON STORIES