Preparing for Storm Eunice

18 February 

Please see below for advice and a list of any closures and cancellations.

We would ask everyone to take extra care and be alert to any hazards. Please follow the guidance below from the council’s emergency planning team.

Bin collections and household waste centre

The bin crews have been out all morning and most collections have been made. They are now back in for their own safety. For any bins missed today, the collections will be made tomorrow. Please secure your bins as best you can, but do not put yourself at risk. Then leave your bin back out tomorrow for a catch up collection. 

For safety reasons we are closing the household waste and recycling site at Chalvey. It is expected to reopen on Saturday morning.

School closures 

• Beechwood School
• Chalvey Nursery School
• Cippenham Primary
• Claycots, Bath Road and Britwell
• Foxborough Primary
• Haybrook College
• Khalsa Primary
• Langley Academy
• Littledown School
• Our Lady of Peace Primary and Nursery
• Penn Wood Primary and Nursery 
• St Bernard's
• Upton Grammar
• Wexham School
• Grove Academy
• Phoenix Infants
• Herschel Grammar
• St Mary’s Primary
• Pippins School
• Wexham Court Primary
• Langley Heritage Primary
• St Anthony’s Catholic Primary
• Priory School
• Ryvers School
• Ditton Park Academy
• Baylis Court Nursery School
• Baylis Court Secondary School
• St Ethelberts
• Mighty Acorns Nursery
• Lea Nursery
• Eden Girls School
• Langley Academy
• Cippenham Nursery
• Be-Happy Pre School
• Colnbrook CE Primary
• Langley Hall Primary Academy
• Slough Centre Nursery   

Children's Centre closures

All of the council's children's centres will be closed today (Friday 18 Feb).

Testing site and vaccine centre closures

• All lateral flow testing sites (Langley, The Centre & the mobile van) will be closed for the duration of Friday 18 Feb. 
• The vaccine bus is cancelled on the 18, 19 and 20 of Feb.

Power cuts

Power lines can come down in strong winds. There is information about planning for power cuts on the Scottish & Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) website. SSEN maintain the power lines, regardless who you buy your electricity from.

You can report power cuts by calling 105.

Useful numbers

Out of hours highways issue e.g. tree down – please call: 07934 292895.

During the storm

• Do not use parks or walk and travel through areas with trees during the predicted peak of the storm, expected to be from 10am-3pm. Stay safe and vigilant to any hazards.
• Stay indoors as much as possible.
• If you do go out, try not to walk or shelter close to buildings and trees.
• Keep away from the sheltered side of boundary walls and fences - if these structures fail, they will collapse on this side.
• Do not go outside to repair damage while the storm is in progress.
• If possible, enter and leave your house / building through doors in the sheltered side, closing them behind you.
• Open internal doors only as needed, and close them behind you.
• Take care when driving on exposed routes such as bridges, or high open roads, delay your journey or find alternative routes if possible.
• Slow down and be aware of side winds, particular care should be taken if you are towing or are a high sided vehicle.
• Do not drive unless your journey is really necessary.

After the storm

• Be careful not to touch any electrical/telephone cables that have been blown down or are still hanging.
• Do not walk too close to walls, buildings and trees as they could have been weakened.
• Make sure that any vulnerable neighbours or relatives are safe and help them make arrangements for any repairs.

17 February

Before the storm (Thursday 17 Feb - as unsafe to do after)

• Secure loose objects such as ladders, garden furniture or anything else that could be blown into windows and other glazing and break them.
• Close and securely fasten doors and windows, particularly those on the windward side of the building, and especially large doors such as those on garages.
• Park vehicles in a garage, if available; otherwise keep them clear of buildings, trees, walls and fences.
• Close and secure loft trapdoors with bolts, particularly if roof pitch is less than 30°.
• If the building is fitted with storm shutters over the windows then ensure that these are closed and fastened.
• If chimney stacks are tall and in poor condition, move beds away from areas directly below them.
• Contact your utility providers and acquire numbers for emergency call-out or a notification contact centre.