Storm Angus causes travel disruption in Northumberland

Police want to make the public aware of some road closures due to adverse weather overnight.
Police are warning about road closures.Police are warning about road closures.
Police are warning about road closures.

Yesterday afternoon, the region was hit by heavy rain and strong winds across the force area that caused many of our region's roads to be flooded. Officers have been working through the night to ensure any disruption is minimised and they have managed to clear many of the main arterial routes. However, there are some significant road closures the public need to be aware of ahead of their morning commute. They include: The A189 spine road at Cramlington which goes past hospital is closed in both directions. Diversions are in place.

The A19 northbound between Testo's roundabout and the turn off for Boldon is down to one lane and causing congestion The A1 near to Newton on the Moor at Alnwick also has a lot of standing water and the road is down to one lane in both directions. The Lindisfarne roundabout underneath the A19 in South Tyneside also has a lot of standing water. It is passable but will cause extra delays. There is still some significant standing water on some roads in urban areas that is passable with care. Large areas of rural Northumberland have also been badly affected. The message from police is for motorists to reduce their speed and concentrate on the road. If possible leave extra time for your journeys as there will be congestion. Officers and local authority workers will be on duty through the morning to try and ensure the roads are moving as quickly as possible. The public are reminded that they should only dial 999 in an emergency. Call 101 if you require a police response but there is not immediate risk to person or property.

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Meanwhile, Northumberland County Council’s local services teams have stocked up on supplies of pumps, sandbags and other equipment across the county which they can use if needed. A rapid response team is on stand-by round the clock during spells of bad weather who can quickly respond to any incident.

Ahead of the bad weather, council staff had also been busy inspecting drains, ditches and channels to make sure they aren’t blocked as well as checking over the main driving routes and areas which are known to be more susceptible to flooding.

Coun Ian Swithenbank, cabinet member for local services, said: "Our priority is to keep people safe and the roads of Northumberland open and we have teams of staff working round the clock to ensure this happens. We work closely with our partners in the emergency services at times of severe weather and would also remind the public to take a little extra care when travelling."

Due to the sheer size of the county, the council is also looking for support from local communities to provide information on the situation in their area. If people do have concerns or issues they need to report, they can contact the council on 0345 600 6400.