The storm had led to severe disruption in rail services, particularly on the LNER (London North Eastern Railway) route. The closure of King's Cross station was a temporary measure aimed at crowd control as large numbers of people had gathered on the concourse and platforms.
Network Rail, the organization responsible for the UK's railway infrastructure, had warned of cancellations, delays, and revisions to train services running to and from King's Cross due to the severe weather conditions, including flooding. Major disruptions were anticipated throughout the day and into Sunday.
The storm had resulted in the suspension of many rail routes due to flooding, and an extremely limited service was in operation. Some areas, such as the line between Doncaster and Leeds, were blocked due to flooding, and rail replacement services were unavailable due to road closures.
London North Eastern Railway (LNER), Avanti West Coast, and Northern Rail had all advised passengers against traveling because of widespread flooding affecting their services. Passengers were encouraged to use their train tickets on the Underground and buses between Finsbury Park and central London as an alternative.
The situation was exacerbated by the large crowds of people traveling to attend a pro-Palestine march from Marble Arch, leading to overcrowding on platforms across London's Underground network.