Public transport provider Nexus stated that the disruption had led to cancellation of train and bus services in the region. Tyne and Wear Metro also urged customers to avoid using their services on Tuesday, as flooding affected lines and stopped some services.
The main flooding sites were reported to be Ilford Road Metro station, the Tyne Dock tunnel and Regent Centre, however Newcastle City Council staff worked to pump off excess water within the day. Newcastle Fire and Rescue services were also on the scene, and reportedly received ‘a high number’ of calls on the morning of the 5th.
Heavy rain also made its way across southern Britain on Monday, causing a similar level of travel disruption in London. The same weather front brought torrential rain and devastation, from flooding to landslides, in parts of southern France and Northern Italy earlier this week. Rossiglione in the Genoa province received 29 inches of rain in 12 hours, setting a new continental record.
While Autumn heavy rains are common, more erratic and extreme weather events, broadly characterised by warmer and wetter winters, are expected in the northern hemisphere as a result of climate change.