Greenwich Park closed due to Storm Eustice plus eight other Royal Parks

London’s biggest and most prestigious parks were closed to minimise damage during Storm Eunice.

Greenwich Park wereshut by the Royal Parks, along with Green Park, Hyde Park, Kensington Gardens, Regent’s Park, Primrose Hill, Richmond Park, Bushy Park and St James’s Park.

They also closed Victoria Tower Gardens and Brompton Cemetery.

A Royal Parks spokesperson, said: “Due to the current red weather warnings for Storm Eunice, we have closed all eight Royal Parks on Friday 18 February as a precautionary measure.

“The Royal Parks host more than 170,000 trees across 5,000 acres, including ancient and veteran trees that are vulnerable to high winds.

 “We will monitor the forecast closely over the next 24 hours and will communicate updates via our website www.royalparks.org.uk, twitter account @theroyalparks and Facebook pages. We will reopen all parks as soon as it’s safe to do so.”

Michael Rowland, head of park operations at The Royal Parks charity, said: “We are still assessing the full extent of the damage across the parks, but so far we estimate that around 150 trees were lost in Storm Eunice, following the red weather warning that saw winds reaching 69mph in Bushy Park. This compares with around 4,500 trees which were lost during the Great Storm of 1987.

“The Royal Parks are home to around 170,000 trees including rare and veteran trees, and sadly we lost three veteran oaks in Richmond Park, with a further two veteran trees sustaining major damage.  Veterans are trees which have developed specific features of biological interest due to their age over time.

“Our park teams, arboriculturists and landscape contractors have been working from the crack of dawn throughout the weekend in a major clean-up operation to open the parks safely for visitors. All our parks are now open, although some areas, such as the Isabella Plantation at Richmond Park, remain closed until further notice.

“A yellow wind warning is in place again for Monday 21st February, with high winds and gusts in excess of 40mph expected throughout the morning and into the afternoon, so we ask that those visiting the parks remain vigilant. Please check our website regularly for further updates.”

Chair of London Councils, Cllr Georgia Gould, said: “Boroughs are working hard to maintain essential local services and support our communities in the face of Storm Eunice.

“It’s really important that we only travel when absolutely necessary. If you have to, please check with TfL and National Rail for service updates and allow more time.

“Boroughs are also ready to respond if there are reports of damaged buildings or trees.

“Please be prepared, stay safe, look out for each other and keep travel to a minimum.”

How can you prepare for flooding?

Flooding can cause significant damage to your property and belongings, even if it is a relatively small amount. Water can potentially enter your premises through doors and patios, exposed air bricks, gaps in the flooring, or even through your pipes and appliances if the pressure is high enough.

If your home or business is at risk of flooding, there are a number of short and longer-term precautions and changes you can implement to reduce your risk of being adversely affected:

• Keep an eye on local weather conditions and flood risks by monitoring the Environment Agency and Met Office’s forecasts and warnings

• Move electrical appliances at least five feet above ground level

• Replace carpets with tiling, covered by rugs that can be easily removed and stored

• Store valuable items on high shelves

• Use water-resistant materials in kitchens and bathrooms

• Install anti-flooding door guards, ventilation brick covers and damp-proof barriers where appropriate

• Seal floors to prevent water from rising up from underneath

• Stock up on sandbags to stop the flow of water

• Install non-return valves on taps and drains that ensure water only flows in one direction

• Design your garden layout to help steer water away from the property

• Make sure your drains are regularly maintained and your septic tank is emptied, in order to prevent blockages and overflows

If your property has already been affected by flooding, you can take the following steps:

• Turn off utilities at the main valve and switches

• Protect entryways with sandbags or flood barriers

• Move electrical items, furniture and valuables away from the floor

• Attach plastic bags and elastic bands around the legs of furniture

• Use bricks or wooden pallets to elevate items above water level, or move them upstairs

 

Why is flooding getting worse?

The impact of Storm Eunice is part of a steadily worsening trend of flooding in the UK in recent years. The Met Office’s 2020 State of the UK Climate report revealed that the UK has become wetter over the last few decades, with the period from 2011 to 2020 being 9% wetter than the years from 1961 to 1990.

Although the Met Office states that the trends seen to date cannot necessarily be directly attributed to man-made climate change, its projections suggest that the UK is expected to experience wetter winters and drier summers on average in the coming years, and that when it does rain in summer, it will become more intense.

This rise in rainfall is coming at a time when the UK’s sewer systems are becoming increasingly clogged and blocked, making it more and more difficult for excess surface water to drain away at the necessary speed to prevent flooding. According to research from Water UK, there are approximately 300,000 sewer blockages every year – and 93% of the material causing these blockages is made up of wet wipes, baby wipes and other such products.

Wipes are often flushed down the toilet, where they are unable to break down due to their plastic content. They accumulate and congeal with fat, oil, grease, silt, feminine hygiene products, face masks and other detritus to form huge fatbergs, which can block the entire width of the sewer pipe and are extremely difficult to remove.

Given that the UK is becoming increasingly urbanised, replacing absorbent surfaces like grass and soil with tarmac, we are reliant on the sewers to ensure that excess water can drain away safely. When these are blocked, it increases the risk of widespread flooding.

How can you help prevent future flooding?

When it comes to flooding, prevention is always better than a cure. Although individual property owners cannot prevent an event like Storm Eunice or affect the broader climate issues that cause greater rainfall, everyone has a part to play in changing the habits that have resulted in the nation’s sewers becoming clogged with debris.

The simplest way of doing this is to ensure that you never flush or improperly dispose of any of the following items down their sinks or drains:

• Cooking oil – pre or post-cooking
• Margarine
• Butter
• Lard
• Cooking sauces and condiments
• Food – even crumbs
• Wet wipes
• Face masks
• Tampons, applicators and wrappers
• Sanitary/menstrual pads and towels
• Nappies
• Condoms
• Cotton buds
• Contact lenses
• Bandages and plasters
• Razor blades
• Dental floss
• Rubber gloves

Richard Leigh, group development director at Lanes Group plc and spokesperson for Lanes’ flagship Unblocktober campaign, said: “As the climate changes, the number of people affected by flooding is only expected to increase.

“It is also important for all of us to recognise our responsibility to help protect the UK’s sewers from harmful blockages that will reduce our national capability to weather these storms effectively. Putting your wet wipes in the bin instead of the toilet may seem like a small change, but it can make a big difference in ensuring the future impact of flooding can be kept to a minimum.”

The conciliation service, ACAS, has issued some advice for employers and workers concerned about the impact of travel disruptions due to the bad weather.

Acas Chief Executive, Susan Clews, said: “Storm Eunice is causing significant travel disruptions across the UK today. Train services have already been cancelled or suspended in some parts of the country that could be impacted by winds of up to 90mph. 

“Workers may be concerned about travelling into work over the next few days and some employers will have concerns about staff absences impacting their productivity and performance. 

“Our advice explains the legal rights when it comes to bad weather and suggests alternate working arrangements that could help to keep businesses running.”

Acas top tips for workers affected by the bad weather: 

·       If you cannot get into work due to a travel disruption, then inform your boss as soon as you know;

·       Look to see if there are alternative travel options to get into work;

·       Check if your employer can agree flexible working arrangements such as arriving and leaving later or homeworking; and

·       Consider any urgent work that needs to be covered if you can’t get into work. 

Legal considerations include: 

·       There is no automatic legal right to be paid for working time missed due to travel disruption or bad weather;

·       Employees have the right to take unpaid time off in an emergency situation that involves a dependent. This can include looking after your child because their school has closed due to bad weather; and

·       If you’re ready and available to work but your place of work is closed then you will usually be entitled to normal pay. 

Acas top tips for employers on alternative working arrangements include:

·       Allow workers to come in a little later than usual if the travel disruption or weather is expected to improve;

·       Offer workers who can get into work the opportunity to swap shifts or work overtime;

·       Suggest flexible working to allow workers to make up any lost working time or allow workers to take the time off as paid annual leave; and

·       Consider having a bad weather or travel disruption policy that includes contact arrangements, alternative forms of working and what happens with staff pay if a worker is unable to get into work.