Bad weather disrupts UK transport

Bad weather and flooding is affecting rail and road travel in Britain ahead of more wet weather tomorrow.

Bad weather and flooding is affecting rail and road travel in Britain ahead of more wet weather tomorrow.

There are almost 200 flood alerts in place in England, Scotland and Wales.

The British Met Office said an area of heavy rain would move across the country today and that because the ground was already saturated this could lead to further localised flooding.

Late-running engineering work and other problems are contributing to a miserable return to work for British rail travellers.

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First Great Western says rail passengers should not travel to or from Devon and Cornwall.

The post-Christmas mood was not helped by the news that over-running engineering work meant there were no trains running between Paddington station in London and Heathrow airport, or between Paddington and Reading in Berkshire.

A very limited bus service was being laid on between the affected stations with First Great Western advising passengers not to travel unless their journey was essential.

A late finish to platform work at Balham in south-east London also caused delays to London-bound commuters this morning.

Met Office figures suggest 2012 is set to be one of the wettest years since records began in 1910, largely due to the deluge of rain in the run up to Christmas.

PA