31 July 2024
As the Met Office has issued a Yellow warning of thunderstorms and heavy rain impacting much of the UK for the middle of this week, the AA is issuing travel advice for drivers.
Some areas could be hit by rain accumulations of 25-50 mm of rain over the course of a few hours. In some areas the rainfall levels could be higher.
For those who still need to travel during the expected heavy rain and thunderstorms, roads could become hazardous with the possibility of some flooding, so extreme caution is advised.
“Never risk driving through flood water and if you find yourself aquaplaning, ease off the accelerator to slow down gently.”
If caught in a sudden downpour, reducing speed and leaving more space is advisable. In some countries, this is a legal requirement. In the UK, it is advised in the Highway Code:
Wet weather
Rule 227
• You should keep well back from the vehicle in front. This will increase your ability to see and plan aheadr
• If the steering becomes unresponsive, it probably means that water is preventing the tyres from gripping the road. Ease off the accelerator and slow down gradually
• The rain and spray from vehicles may make it difficult to see and be seen
Chris Wood, AA Patrol of the Year, said: “If you must travel, reduce your speed to account for the conditions and leave plenty of space behind other vehicles. Allow extra time, as it’s likely your journey will take longer than usual, and ensure you have plenty of fuel or electrical charge.
“In a thunderstorm water can quickly run off the road, causing flash flooding. It only takes one incident to cause long tailbacks, so keep tuned to local traffic reports and reduce your speed as appropriate for the conditions. Never risk driving through flood water and if you find yourself aquaplaning, ease off the accelerator to slow down gently.
“Ensure your mobile phone is fully charged and download the AA app and what3words to help us get to you faster if the worse should happen. It’s twice as fast to report a breakdown on our app than it is to call us”
Regions and local authorities affected;
East Midlands: Derby; Derbyshire; Leicester; Leicestershire; Lincolnshire; Northamptonshire; Nottingham; Nottinghamshire; Rutland
East of England: Bedford; Cambridgeshire; Central Bedfordshire; Essex; Hertfordshire; Luton; Norfolk; Peterborough; Southend-on-Sea; Suffolk; Thurrock
London & South East England: Bracknell Forest; Brighton and Hove; Buckinghamshire; East Sussex; Greater London; Hampshire; Isle of Wight; Kent; Medway; Milton Keynes; Oxfordshire; Portsmouth; Reading; Slough; Southampton; Surrey; West Berkshire; West Sussex; Windsor and Maidenhead; Wokingham
North West England: Blackburn with Darwen; Blackpool; Cheshire East; Cheshire West and Chester; Cumbria; Greater Manchester; Halton; Lancashire; Merseyside; Warrington
North East England: Darlington; Durham; Gateshead; Hartlepool; Middlesbrough; Newcastle upon Tyne; North Tyneside; Northumberland; Redcar and Cleveland; South Tyneside; Stockton-on-Tees; Sunderland
South West England: Bath and North East Somerset; Bournemouth Christchurch and Poole; Bristol; Devon; Dorset; Gloucestershire; North Somerset; Somerset; South Gloucestershire; Swindon; Wiltshire
Wales: Blaenau Gwent; Bridgend; Caerphilly; Cardiff; Carmarthenshire; Ceredigion; Conwy; Denbighshire; Flintshire; Gwynedd; Merthyr Tydfil; Monmouthshire; Neath Port Talbot; Newport; Powys; Rhondda Cynon Taf; Swansea; Torfaen; Vale of Glamorgan; Wrexham
West Midlands: Herefordshire; Shropshire; Staffordshire; Stoke-on-Trent; Telford and Wrekin; Warwickshire; West Midlands Conurbation; Worcestershire
Yorkshire & Humber: East Riding of Yorkshire; Kingston upon Hull; North East Lincolnshire; North Lincolnshire; North Yorkshire; South Yorkshire; West Yorkshire; York
Further advice on winter driving is available at How to drive through floodwater and heavy rain | The AA
Live traffic updates are available at Traffic news | Live reports from AA Roadwatch | AA (theaa.com)
UK weather warnings - Met Office
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