Storm Pia: Major roads closed to high sided vehicles and delays on train network as 60mph gusts hit Yorkshire

A yellow weather warning is in place across the whole of Yorkshire and most of the north of Britain due to Storm Pia, which is set to hit today (December 21) and bring winds of up to 80mph.

The A15 at the Humber Bridge has been closed to high-sided vehicles in both directions, as had the Tinsley Viaduct and A628 Woodhead Pass in Derbyshire.

A statement from National Highways, which runs major roads and motorways in Yorkshire, said: “The A15 Humber Bridge is closed in both directions to high sided and vulnerable vehicles due to strong winds. Traffic wishing to use the northbound A15 should head west on the A180 on to the M180. At the end of this motorway join the M18 north and at the end of that motorway take the M62 eastbound and then on to the A63 eastbound.

“For southbound traffic follow the above route in reverse: A63 west, M62 west and exit at J35 on to the M18 south. Exit at J5 and take the M180 eastbound and continue to the A180.

"The M1 Tinsley Viaduct is closed in both directions, to high sided and vulnerable vehicles, due to strong winds. These restrictions apply to all vehicles with a height of 6ft 9 inches and higher, vehicles towing and to motorcycles.”

A diversion causing vehicles to take the underneath of the viaduct before driving back onto the M1 is expecting to cause delays throughout the day.

Meanwhile, there are also long delays on the rail network across Yorkshire, with Northern and TransPennine Express urging people not to travel.

Northern said the weather had affected the Barrow-In-Furness - Carlisle; Bradford Interchange - Huddersfield; Lancaster - Barrow-In-Furness; Leeds - Carlisle; Leeds - Halifax; Leeds - Ilkley; Leeds - Preston; Manchester Piccadilly - Sheffield; Manchester Victoria - Leeds; Middlesbrough - Whitby; Newcastle - Carlisle; Sheffield - Huddersfield; Skipton - Morecambe services.

It said: “Due to expected inclement weather, trains have to run at a reduced speed on this route until this evening earliest. Passengers are advised to allow extra time for travel, expect delays and to check each individual journey before travelling.”

Meanwhile, TransPennine Express urged people not to travel to Edinburgh until 3pm at the earliest due to the high winds. It added: “The Met Office has issued a yellow weather warning for Thursday 21 December, with strong winds expected in Scotland and England.“Due to the forecast given, we’re advising customers to do not travel on services between Manchester, Liverpool, Preston to Carlisle and Edinburgh on December 21 until after 3pm.”

Met Office Chief Meteorologist, Paul Gundersen, said: “From late Wednesday into Thursday, strong winds are likely to develop across a large area of the UK. We’ve issued a large yellow warning area where there’s a potential for some impacts, but gusts of 50-60mph are possible for large parts of central and northern areas of the UK.

“Exposed coasts and high ground could see gusts of 70-80mph at times, mainly across the far north of Scotland.”