Weather warning for fleets ahead of weekend

Fleet operators and drivers are being warned to be careful on the roads this weekend with Storm Dennis set to batter the UK.

With wind speeds expected to reach up to 75 mph, the Met Office has issued yellow and amber weather warnings across many areas in the UK, with strong gales predicted to sweep the country up until Tuesday.

RAC patrol of the year Ben Aldous said: “After so much wind and rain last weekend, drivers will again have to contend with some pretty dreadful conditions on the road with the arrival of Storm Dennis.

“With transport disruption likely, drivers should expect their journeys to take longer than usual and should stay up-to-date with the latest traffic and travel information as the conditions could change quickly.”

Green Flag, is urging drivers to be particularly cautious on their travels, as the turbulent weather and busy roads coincide with the start of the half-term break.

As a result of the stormy weather, Green Flag is expecting a staggering 55,000 callouts to occur over the weekend, equating to 19 callouts every minute. 

While Storm Dennis is not expected to be as strong as Storm Ciara, the short time between the storms means that Dennis will be compounding the disruption already present on the troubled UK roads.

What’s more, with schools breaking up for half-term across the UK, roads are set to be 10% busier than average, as families travel on their late Winter breaks. 

As Storm Dennis dissipates from Tuesday, daily breakdown numbers are expected to fall from 31,000 on Monday (February 17) to 24,000 on Friday (February 21) with 223,800 breakdowns expected over the entire half-term period (February 14-23).

Lucy Davies at Green Flag, said: “With the country still dealing with the aftermath of Storm Ciara, Storm Dennis will likely have disproportionately large effects on travelling this weekend relative to its strength, especially with the February half-term bringing more drivers onto the road.

“As a result, we urge drivers to remain cautious and to avoid the roads wherever possible. If driving is an absolute necessity, it is important that drivers carry out the relevant car safety checks before they leave on any journey and also make sure they are as prepared as possible to withstand the elements, particularly from the wind and flooding.”