PLANS have been put in place across Worcestershire in preparation for Storm Eunice.
Forecasters predict the wind and rain will start around 4am or 5am tomorrow, starting with gusts of 40mph. These will peak around midday when wind speeds could be as high as 70mph.
The Met Office has an amber warning in place – warning falling trees and flying debris could have the potential to ‘endanger life’.
Here are the plans for our area –
Rail
West Midlands Railway issued a its ‘do not travel’ warning for commuters for Friday, expecting disruption from fallen trees and flying debris.
Blanket speed restrictions will be in place on all services and will also cause delays.
Roads
Due to the potential severity of Storm Eunice Worcestershire County Council Highways teams have suspended non-essential highway maintenance operations so they can use their available resources to deal with fallen trees, flooding and other hazards.
Anyone who spots a fallen tree blocking a road or other issues should call Worcestershire Highways on 01905 845676.
Potential power cuts
Western Power Distribution (WPD) which is responsible for the electricity supply is operating at usual levels despite the added pressures of Storm Eunice.
Additional operational and engineering staff are ready and on stand-by to respond to any network issues.
Additional Contact and control Centre operatives are available to manage the electricity network and to help customers with their enquiries.
A WPD spokesperson said: “We know that storm conditions can be a worrying time, we wanted to reassure you that we are prepared.”
Anyone who has a power cut and needs extra support, call us on 0800 917 7953 at any time.
Flooding
There is a risk of flooding along the River Severn as well but, if it happens, it will more likely on Saturday or Sunday as heavy rain falls on already saturated ground.