Storms cause major disruption and delays for logistics

Flight cancellations, port closures, train cancellations and the closure of major pinch points on the road network, such as the Orwell Bridge and Dartford Crossing, have led to delays for freight by all modes.

Storm Eunice’s predecessor, Storm Dudley, had already impacted logistics in Ireland by Wednesday last week (16 February), with high winds of up to 80mph stopping operations at ports in Dublin and Belfast. By Friday, Storm Eunice had begun impacting on container freight, with the closure of the Ports of Felixstowe, London Gateway and Southampton.

Train services in Wales were suspended for the whole day on Friday, with disruption continuing into the weekend, so that more than 1,000 miles of track could be checked and cleared of debris and fallen trees.

Alexandra Herdman, Public Policy Manager, Logistics UK, said: “Closures and cancellations over the weekend have impacted collections and deliveries this week, as containers not being collected at the weekend have inevitably led to backlogs.

 “Like other high vehicles, HGVs are particularly vulnerable to high winds, and many road hauliers operated a limited service during the worst of the weather. Added to which, fallen trees and debris have led to a number of road closures.

“The safety of our members is of paramount importance, and we will always advise them to err on the side of caution when operating during extreme weather conditions. Logistics is renowned for its resilience, however, and we have no doubt that the sector will bounce back quickly from this temporary setback as backlogs in deliveries are processed and operations return to normal.”

*https://logistics.org.uk/compliance-and-advice/road/health-and-safety/driving-safety-tips-for-windy-weather

Published On: 24/02/2022 16:00:03

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