Many of the Department for Transport's own staff at its new base in Leeds were forced to work remotely after Storm Franklin brought West Yorkshire's public transport system to a grinding halt.
Around 160 people now work at the department's office in Wellington Place on the edge of the city centre, which was set up as part of efforts to make the Civil Service less London-centric.
And high speed rail Minister Andrew Stephenson, who is working from the office all this week, said the gale-force winds and rain from this morning's storm meant a number were unable to make it into work.
