Somerset floods: Train lines reopen but A303 still shut

Flooding following Monday's heavy rain is continuing to cause disruption across the West.

The A303 in Somerset is closed in both directions between the A37/A372 junction at Podimore and the A3088 roundabout at Cartgate.

National Highways said it is likely the road will remain closed for "some time" and advised motorists to avoid the area.

Some Somerset schools either opened late on Tuesday or are still closed.

Network Rail confirmed on social media that trains will start returning to schedule now the floodwater on the railway is receding.

Trains between Bristol and Swindon were cancelled earlier on Tuesday.

Great Western Railway (GWR) previously said services between Bristol Parkway and Swindon, and Westbury and Taunton were affected by the flooding.

The Environment Agency said multiple flood warnings remain in place following heavy rainfall, particularly in south Somerset, while Somerset Council added it is expecting further "significant rainfall on Thursday".

Councillor Mike Rigby, Somerset Council's lead member for transport, told the BBC the authority was called out to more than 245 incidents on Monday related to flooding, a higher number than during Storm Ciarán last month despite less rain this week.

Mr Rigby said the council is in a "much more difficult spending round" this year and he will "fight hard to defend" the flooding budget in the face of cuts.

He said: "I would love to have a greater budget for highways maintenance but unfortunately the reality of the fact is we're in a much more difficult spending round this year.

"I would love to say there won't be any further cuts... but the chances of there being more money, in any local authority, are pretty slim."

Mr Rigby urged drivers to respect road closures and said: "You end up becoming another issue which the emergency services have to deal with."

GWR said flooding had caused significant disruption on Monday and advised people not to travel between Bristol and Exeter or on any trip between London Paddington and Devon or Cornwall.

The company said: "We are expecting disruption between London Paddington and Somerset, Devon and Cornwall into Tuesday morning as floods subside."

On Monday night railway passengers at Bristol Temple Meads reported long delays and "chaos".

James Davis, from GWR, said: "We still have flooding on the line between Taunton and Westbury - so no service able to go through our usual route which would take you up towards Reading and into London if you're travelling further afield.

"I'm pleased to say the line has now reopened between Taunton and Bristol, we are able to divert some trains through that area and then on into London.

"With the number of trains we were not able to run yesterday evening and with other services in the north of our network between Bristol parkway which would normally go towards South Wales and Bristol Parkway and then into London - those services are also being diverted into Bristol Temple Meads."

A spokesman for Somerset Council said: "Our teams were extremely busy responding to reports of flooding across multiple parts of the county yesterday and the recovery and clear-up work continues today.

"Highways teams responded to hundreds of flood incidents - we had 518 enquiries related to flooding, drainage issues and landslips, and teams will be working throughout the rest of this week clear gullies, drains and road surfaces of mud and debris.

"We are expecting significant rain again on Thursday, with another yellow weather warning in place so our teams are preparing for this too as well as continuing the recovery process."

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