Schools, libraries and day centres to close as Storm Eunice gets a red weather warning

Bridgend County Borough Council is warning residents to expect disruption as a result of Storm Eunice on Friday 18 February.

Starting at around 3am on Friday morning, Storm Eunice will bring heavy overnight rain and strengthening winds to the county borough which will develop into severe gales. It is expected to last all day until approximately 9pm on Friday night.

 

Updates

Monday 21 February

• 11:20am - Bryngarw Country Park will reopen at 1pm today. The cafe will remain closed for the day.
  
  
• 10:00am - Queen Street, Bridgend and John Street, Porthcawl (near the junction with Well Street) remain closed until building inspections can be carried out.

 

Friday 18 February

• 5.00pm - Following damage caused by Storm Eunice to commercial properties in Bridgend town centre, a temporary road closure will need to remain in place along Queen Street while structural engineers work to make the situation safe for pedestrians and traffic.
  
  New signage is being erected, and Saturday’s town centre deliveries will be re-routed through Caroline Street - drivers are being urged to exercise care while using the diverted route.
  
  
• 3:30pm - All Halo leisure centres have now reopened. Due to a fallen tree, Pencoed Swimming Pool customers are advised not to use the footpath to the side of the building.
  
  
• 2:24pm - Community Recycling Centres are due to reopen as normal tomorrow.
  
  

• 2:00pm - Latest news update: 'Storm Eunice hits the county borough'. 

• 12:44pm - We have received reports regarding the roof of Evanstown Community Centre, a team has been dispatched to conduct a risk assessment and secure the roof if needed. Residents are urged to avoid the area and stay safe.
  
  
• 11:45am - Queen Street, Bridgend is currently closed to pedestrians and vehicles.
  
  
• 11:40am - John Street in Porthcawl is currently closed to pedestrians and vehicles due to falling roof tiles and high winds.
  
  
• 10:30am - All community recycling centres will remain closed today. All tip permits made for today will be honoured once the recycling centres reopen.
  
  
• 10:00am - The council’s waste partners Kier have confirmed that:
  • Recycling collections that are not going ahead today will be collected next Friday 25 February instead. (Residents who do not have sufficient space in their containers can use open carrier bags for additional recycling).
  • Refuse not collected today will be collected on Saturday 26 February.
  • All other collections remain as normal next week.
    
    
• 9:00am - Halo leisure centres are currently closed. 

 

Thursday 17 February

• 22:52pm - Waste and recycling collections will no longer take place on Friday as originally planned.
  
  All Community Recycling Centres will also need to close on Friday 18 February on health and safety grounds.
  
  
• 5:23pm - Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board have confirmed that the coronavirus vaccination centre at Ravens Court and the mobile testing sites based in both Maesteg and Bridgend will be closed for the day tomorrow.
  
  
• 5:22pm - The A4061 Bwlch mountain road will be closed from midnight. It will be reviewed throughout the day tomorrow and will reopen as soon as it is safe to do so.
  
  
• 5.17pm - All Council Tax and Business Rates Liability Order court hearings due to take place tomorrow have been cancelled. All those affected will be contacted directly with a new date.
  
  
• 2:30pm - All Bridgend County Borough schools will be closed on Friday 18 February (moving to an online learning only model). Further communication will be issued by schools this afternoon.
  
  Libraries, day centres for adults and Bryngarw Country Park will also close, and residents and visitors are being strongly advised to stay away from the coastline, especially in Porthcawl.
  
  Recycling and waste collections will go ahead as normal, but the situation will be kept under constant review and residents are being advised to keep an eye on the council’s social media channels for further updates. Householders are also advised to make sure they place their glass containers out so that crews can pack the emptied recycling sacks inside to avoid them being affected by the high winds.

The Met Office has warned that coastal areas could see high winds of around 90mph, and that further inland there could be damage to buildings and homes, uprooted trees, power cuts, flooding, disruption to travel, public transport cancellations and more. Natural Resources Wales has also warned that the high winds could cause debris-related injuries, while large waves commonly seen during a high tide ‘storm surge’ may result in rocks and other materials being thrown ashore.

Anyone who can do so should avoid visiting the coastline during the storm, but if you have to be there, please take extra care and make sure you keep a safe distance away from the sea.

I also want to appeal to people who may be considering trying to take a photograph during the extreme weather conditions, and would ask them to think twice – all indications are that this is going to be a particularly bad storm, and it really isn’t worth risking an injury or worse, especially not when the RNLI provide a live camera feed from the Western Breakwater which can be viewed remotely.

Council Leader Huw David

Our highway workers are checking gulleys, culverts and drains to make sure they are clear before the storm arrives, and have prepared more than 3,500 sandbags which can be distributed to householders in the event of flooding.

Using equipment ranging from JCBs and chainsaws to specialist gulley jets, workers will be on duty throughout the storm to help keep roads open and homes, people and property safe.

The council will do all it can to keep things running smoothly, but I urge residents to plan ahead now, and to keep an eye on the news and social media for regular updates while the storm is underway.

Cllr Stuart Baldwin, Cabinet Member for Communities