Key Travel Advice
- The strongest winds will be throughout the morning and lunchtime.
- Ask yourself if your journey is really necessary?
- Use social media and apps to check before you travel.
- Keep checking for changes while on your journey.
- Allow extra time as roads will be slower and capacity limited
- Follow our social media accounts @TransportforWM
- Check the latest service disruptions.
The West Midlands is in an amber warning area and the Met Office suggests we can expect:
- There is a good chance that flying debris could result in a danger to life
- Damage to buildings and homes is likely, with roofs blown off and power lines brought down
- Roads, bridges, and railway lines are likely to close, with delays and cancellations to bus, train, ferry services, and flights
- There is a good chance that power cuts, possibly prolonged, could occur, perhaps affecting other services, such as mobile phone coverage
- It is likely there will be falling branches and some uprooted trees
Green Bus school services will not operate on Friday 18 February
Network Rail and train operators have issued a do not travel warning for Friday 18 February
Rail - Do not travel
Network Rail will implement a 50mph maximum speed limit on the rail network which not only adds extra time to all journeys, it reduces the number of trains able to operate.
All train operators are advising customers to travel on Saturday if possible with tickets from Friday remaining valid. Please check with your rail operator for further information.
Bus and Tram
The region's bus and tram network will plan to operate as normal. However if debris, trees, or other infrastructure blocks roads or falls on the lines services may be changed, delayed, or canceled at short notice.
- Keep checking back for the latest information and follow us @TransportforWM
- Consider if your journey is absolutely necessary on Friday
Roads
It is likely the road network will be slower than normal on Friday. Check your route is clear before you travel by using apps like Google Maps and follow @WMRoads for the latest updates.
- Consider if your journey is absolutely necessary on Friday
- If you have a high-sided vehicle, tow a caravan, have a car with a roof box, or are a motorcyclist be prepared for very strong and gusting crosswinds.
- If you own, operate a curtain-sided vehicle and it's empty, please pull and secure the curtains back.
- Don’t be tempted to pass a vehicle that might be struggling with the effects of side wind buffeting – especially if its starting to “weave” or “fishtail”