Morning:
6°c
Chaos for commuters as half a month’s rain falls in six hours
Peter Dominiczak7 Aug 2009
London commuters were hit by more than 35mm of rain in six hours last night — about half the average rainfall expected for the whole of August.
Flooded Tube stations were closed and streets brought to a standstill as travellers struggled home.
London Underground closed Regent's Park, Mansion House, Golders Green, Chalk Farm and part of Victoria station as the water levels continued to rise.
Stations reopened throughout the evening but soaked and confused commuters said the flooding made journeys home “impossible”.
Emily Rinj, 25, who works at the Swedish embassy, was going home to King's Cross but found Regent's Park Tube station closed. She said: “It is just absolutely terrible.”
Andy Fisk, 27, from Clapham, works for a headhunting firm and also uses Regent's Park station. He said: “I thought we were supposed to be having a beautiful summer? ”
London Underground said a small number of stations were closed but staff worked as quickly as possible to re-open them.
There is some good news: weather forecasters predict sunshine is on the way.
Reader views (26)
Sack all the weather and replace it with some more deserving weather in this recession
- Anonymous, London, 25/09/2009 15:15
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Bah. Facilities and infrastructure are designed to reasonable standards and expectations. When an unusual event occurs one can expect problems.
Combine unusual with unnoticed or considered build up of surrounding space, slight changes in street drainage etc over time - overall a lack of awareness of change - and the problem compounds. Something simple like a slightly obstructed drain can literally muck up the whole works.
What do you people want, everything designed to handle Mag 10 earthquakes and 100ft tidal waves? Good luck being able to pay for those criteria.
- Trunk, US, 25/09/2009 14:15
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I blame Gordon Brown,and the Labour Government.
- Marcus, London, 25/09/2009 14:15
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Great to see nothing has changed in the 5 years I have been away. It almost makes me want to come back, almost. and I agree with Mickinlondon and Tangomike, it's probably the plastic bags and why don't people get a spine. oh, and why didn't the lady from the Swedish embassy just walk? It would have been quicker and had probably stopped raining by then. Lazy I say....
- Paul, Sydney, Australia (Formerly of London), 25/09/2009 14:15
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Baebecue Summer 2.0 has arrived, somewhat wetter than Barbecue Summer 1.1, for which we must thank the Met Office.
- Neil, London, London UK, 25/09/2009 14:15
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Ten years of loony-left New Labour has turned Londoners soft.
This is Great Britain.
Go on e-Bay and buy yourselves a spine!
- Tangomike, Kensington, London, 25/09/2009 14:15
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Ironically, with all the rain yesterday, we had a burst water main and only had limited supply. It never rains but it pours!
- Philip, London, England, 25/09/2009 14:15
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I blame all those plastic carrier bags; they are blocking up the drains.
- Mickinlondon, london., 25/09/2009 14:15
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That's nothing - we had over 150 mm in 75 minutes on Tuesday.
- Paul, Louisville, KY, 25/09/2009 14:15
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At least I know there's a hole in my roof now!
- Simon, London, 25/09/2009 14:15
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Nice to have a downpour...freshens things up, and I do so enjoy these "Chaos on the Trains" type stories.
- Escobar-Alop-Lop, Camden County, 25/09/2009 14:15
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So much for our Bar-b-que summer.
- Jan, Romford, 25/09/2009 14:15
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In defence of London Transport,it was the wrong type of rain,just as it was the wrong type of leaves that fell on the tracks a few years ago.
- David, london, 25/09/2009 14:15
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We got no rain in Basildon only 30 miles away yesterday. But we could have done some of Londons.
- Dhan Raj, Basildon, 25/09/2009 14:15
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Leave the poor old weathermen alone, they merely got it a little wrong, but they didn't create the weather, although we may all have contributed to some of it excesses, what do they call it, being caused by, what is that, oh yes, hot air gasses, carbon something or other, greenhouse gassing?
- Hugh, Middx, 25/09/2009 14:15
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someone should do something about this sort of thing.
- Rikrok, London, 25/09/2009 14:15
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I was visiting London in July last year, the same thing happened on the day I had pick to introduce the kids to their roots. We got soaked, it was the largest amount of rain to fall in London on 1 day for many many years.
- Peter, NY, USA. London, UK, 25/09/2009 14:15
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It's political correctness gone mad, I tell you. Oh. Sorry. No it isn't.
- Garry, London, 25/09/2009 14:15
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Sack the weathermen, and get some who can find us some better weather!
- George, London, 25/09/2009 14:15
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We had tickets booked for the picnic and open air film run by Film4 at Somerset House. It was pouring when we arrived (we work around the corner) and we were told that no refunds would be given unless there was a "technical fault" with the film. We went to eat elsewhere - when we passed by again later that night the film was rolling and no more than 10 people stood watching under their umbrellas. Guys - how about taking out insurance against downpours so you can refund tickets or let people attend another event? Doesn't encourage us to book again next year.
- Soggy, London, 25/09/2009 14:15
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"Emily Rinj, 25, who works at the Swedish embassy, was going home to King's Cross but found Regent's Park Tube station closed". - Why on earth would Emily use Regent's Park tube from the Swedish Embassy to King's Cross? Talk about going the long way around! Baker Street Circle/Met/H&C lines and numerous busses go directly there and would be a far more sensible solution.
- Chris, London, 25/09/2009 14:15
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Yesterday morning, I walked from my hotel on Edgeware Road to Hyde Park, where I sat drinking a cup of coffee, and contemplated on the end of my week's vacation in my favorite city. The sun was shining brightly. The air warm and the sky was a bright azire blue, and nary a rain cloud in the sky. The sun was still shining when I boarded the Heathrow express. A brilliant day -- and then as we sat on the tarmac, waiting to take off, I noticed the skies had opened, and it was pouring. My first thoughts: tears for my departure ... but dear London, I shall return.
- Marlene, Alexandria, VA, 25/09/2009 14:15
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A bit of rain, and commuters and transport staff run around like headless chickens.
Heavens, anyone would think it had been snowing!
- Jock, London, 25/09/2009 14:15
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Just wait for the inevitable water shortages later on in the month, and for the water companies to raise charges for any excuse.
- Rod, Epping, UK, 25/09/2009 14:15
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I had to laugh, people were running around as if the world was about to end, it was rain for goodness sake, anyone would think no one had ever seen it before.
- Bob, Cheam, 25/09/2009 14:15
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Never had all these problems when Ken was mayor! First it was snow and now rain Just wait to the Western C-Charge is abolished then it will be SMOG.
Boris did not even have his shed to shelter in...!!!
- Melvyn Windebank, Canvey Island, Essex, 25/09/2009 14:15
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