Flooding chaos which forced the closure of key rail and road routes in northern England has eased, but with disruption continuing on many transport routes.
Dozens of homes and businesses were flooded on Monday, with parts of Yorkshire, Shrewsbury and Worcester among the worst affected.

Water levels in many areas have begun to recede.

The Environment Agency had two severe flood warnings and 65 flood warnings in place at 1215 GMT on Tuesday.

Fears that water levels would reach the height of summer 2007 appeared to be receding, with colder weather forecast for the rest of the week.

But in Wressle, near Howden in East Yorkshire, several passengers were trapped on a bus which was stuck in floodwaters.

Emergency crews launched a rescue by boat after the bus got stuck.

Water levels across Yorkshire have been receding and the Environment Agency has downgraded its severe flood warnings.

A spokesman said parts of the region had received about 50mm of rainfall in 24 hours.

He said: "This is less than in summer 2007, but the rivers are saturated after several weeks of wet weather."

Flooding problems

Flooding caused widespread problems on key rail and road routes on Monday. Efforts were being made to restore services on Tuesday as water levels receded.

Northern Rail and TransPennine Express advised passengers not to travel on Tuesday unless absolutely necessary and advised those who were travelling to allow extra time for their journeys.

There were no trains operating from Leeds to York, Harrogate, Bradford, Manchester Victoria, Sheffield or Blackpool North.

Flooding forced the closure of the line between Sheffield and Barnsley.

There were also no TransPennine Express services between Leeds and Huddersfield via Dewsbury.

Some Northern Rail services, including Bolton to Blackburn and Clitheroe, Preston to Ormskirk and Carlisle to Whitehaven, were expected to resume on Tuesday.

Disruption was expected to continue until at least Wednesday on the Leeds to Skipton, Ilkley and Bradford Forster Square service, Halifax to Huddersfield, and Selby to Wakefield via Bradford Interchange/Huddersfield routes.

There will be no service from Skipton to Lancaster and Morecambe, and Skipton to Carlisle.

Service alterations are also affecting Arriva Trains Wales.

Some National Express East Coast services between London King's Cross and Bradford Forster Square and Skipton will terminate at Leeds until at least Wednesday.

The Highways Agency advised drivers to allow extra time on icy roads, which would particularly affect north-east England.

In Wales, the line was closed between Caersws and Machynlleth where replacement buses were operating.

Road transport was in place between Blaenau Ffestiniog and North Llanrwst, connecting with rail services between North Llanrwst and Llandudno Junction.

A number of A roads in Wales and England were partly closed.

Those affected included the A466 in south Wales, as well as the A6033 in west Yorkshire, A617 in Nottinghamshire and the A488 in Shropshire.

Homes evacuated

On Monday, traffic almost came to a standstill on the M1 and the M62 as heavy rain fell across northern England.

Dozens of homes and businesses were flooded in Yorkshire, while schools and shops were closed.

Twelve homes were evacuated in Bradford overnight. Fire crews pumped water from a pond which threatened to burst its banks and flood houses on Stony Lane in Allerton.

A 34-year-old woman and a baby were rescued from a stranded car in Swinton, Greater Manchester, on Monday.

Seven horses, three dogs and two chickens were rescued by firefighters from a flooded farm in Hamer, Rochdale.

Greater Manchester fire service also had to rescue a canoeist at Summerseat, near Bury, who had become stuck on a river.

A severe flood warning was issued for the River Severn in Shrewsbury, and many roads in Shropshire were closed.

A 45-year-old woman was rescued by police after becoming stranded in her car when it was swept away by flood waters from the Severn.

Surface water on roads caused some disruption in Gloucestershire, with several A and B roads closed.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/7201691.stm

Anyone on here beenm affected by these floods?