Southern Rail bosses warn of further commuter chaos amid Storm Doris weather alerts

Southern Rail passengers have been warned to expect further disruption on Thursday as Storm Doris is set to bring gale-force winds.

Network Rail has preemptively issued speed restrictions throughout the day to “limit the risks to passengers and staff”.

And Southern bosses, Govia Thameslink Railway, warned customers that this could lead to delays and cancellations on Southern services and the Gatwick Express.

A statement released by GTR advised passengers to check before travelling, adding: “On Southern coastal routes from 8am until 5pm, and on the rest of the Southern network from 12pm until 5pm, a 50mph speed restriction will be in place.

“As a result, there will be changes to some Southern and Gatwick Express services, meaning delays and cancellations on all routes south of East Croydon.”

The disruptions comes after a day of strikes on the network which – combined with the Central line walk-out – left one million passengers facing delays.

Andy Derbyshire, chief operating officer, Network Rail South East route, said: “Gale force winds are forecast on Thursday, so we’re putting a 50mph speed limit in place to limit the risk to passengers and staff should trees or other objects get blown onto the tracks.

“Your safety is our top priority, so thank you for your understanding and please check before you travel.”

Southern Passenger Services Director, Angie Doll added: "I'm sorry but these speed restrictions will mean that we won't be able to run our full service on some of our routes, with cancellations and delays likely across the Southern network."

Weather warnings have been issued across the UK ahead of Storm Doris' arrival, with heavy snow and winds of up to 80mph forecast.

Amber warnings predict strong winds and heavy rain in parts of North Wales, the Midlands, and east and north-west England, while winds as fast as 60mph are also expected to batter southern England.

Meanwhile, up to 15cm of snow could fall across parts of Scotland and north-east England in treacherous, blizzard-like conditions.