Metro issues Storm Eowyn 'amber warning' as weather sparks North East travel chaos

A Metro train at Tynemouth Station.
-Credit:Iain Buist/Newcastle Chronicle


Storm Eowyn is expected to cause significant travel disruption when it hits on Friday, January 24, with many public transport services having already been cancelled in anticipation of severe weather.

A red warning has been put in place for southern Scotland, including Edinburgh and Glasgow as well as much of the area close to the Northumberland border, from 10am until 5pm on Friday, with the Met Office saying that Eowyn will cause "very dangerous" conditions and significant disruption. A second red warning also covers the entirety of Northern Ireland from 7am until 2pm on Friday.

This is in addition to multiple other weather warnings across the entire country, including an amber alert in force for the whole North East region for strong winds of up to 80mph from 6am until 9pm on Friday. Eowyn is also expected to bring heavy rain and snow, with stormy weather forecast to continue into the weekend.

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Nexus has advised passengers who are planning to use the Tyne and Wear Metro network on Friday to "plan ahead and be prepared to change their travel plans", with an amber warning having been issued by the operator due to the increased likelihood of disruption. Nexus has also warned that in the event of major disruption on Metro services, it may not be possible to supply replacement buses in every area.

Metro services are scheduled to run as usual on Friday, but there is a heightened risk of disruption across the day due to the strong winds forecast for the region. Meanwhile, the cross-Tyne Shields Ferry will be suspended all day on Friday, and a half hourly replacement bus service will be running between the two landings via Tyne Tunnel.

To stay up to date customers are advised to visit the Nexus website, while live updates about Metro services are available on the Pop App and on X (formerly Twitter) on @My_Metro. There has already been significant disruption across the UK's rail network in anticipation of Storm Eowyn's arrival, with multiple train operators announcing changes to their services on Friday.

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TransPennine has advised against travel on many of its main routes tomorrow as Storm Eowyn hits, including Newcastle, York and Edinburgh. Customers will be able to use tickets booked for travel on Friday up until Monday, January 27.

The travel operator warned: "Services which we are able to operate across the rest of the TransPennine Express network will run to an amended timetable and may be subject to significant disruption with short notice delays, alterations and cancellations all possible."

CrossCountry has also advised that services to the North East and Scotland will instead start and terminate at Leeds. "Please do not attempt to travel between York, Newcastle and Edinburgh," the operator urged passengers on social media.

In addition, Northern has said that services across its whole network may be cancelled or delayed when Storm Eowyn hits, while Lumo has urged people not to make journeys between Newcastle and Edinburgh. LNER has also advised customers not to travel to and from stations north of York on Friday.

LNER said in an update on its website: "There will be no trains operating north of Newcastle in either direction on Friday, January 24 and no LNER services operating in Scotland. Trains are currently still showing in Journey Planners as we work to amend our timetable.

"Services north of York will also be subject to short-notice cancellation and significant delay due to weather-related speed restrictions. Where trains are cancelled or routes are closed, we will be unable to provide road transport due to the expected severity of the weather."