Storm Éowyn forces ScotRail to cancel all services on Friday amid 'danger to life' warning
ScotRail has cancelled all services tomorrow (Friday) amid severe weather due to Storm Éowyn.
The rail operator confirmed it will not run any services on January 24, stating it will will not be safe to operate passenger services due to the forecast weather conditions across Scotland. An amber warning is in place across Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire for wind tomorrow with winds of up to 90mph predicted.
In the central belt, a rare red weather warning is in place, bringing extremely high winds, with gusts reaching 100mph in some parts. Meanwhile, another yellow warning for snow is in place across the majority of Aberdeenshire from 6am tomorrow until midnight.
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Customers are being strongly advised not to travel, as there will be no train services, and no alternative transport will be available. It follows a further review of the weather forecasts, which shows that the conditions will be much worse in many areas than earlier forecasts had predicted.
Extremely high winds can lead to trees and other debris falling onto the tracks, making conditions unsafe to operate trains. This could also lead to trains being trapped on the network and impacts recovery times due to the expected road conditions.
Once the warnings pass, the network will have to undergo safety inspections before services can be reintroduced.
Customers whose journey has been cancelled or disrupted due to adverse weather can travel from today (Thursday, 23 January) and up to and including Tuesday, 28 January with their existing ticket. Customers can also apply for a fee-free refund on any unused tickets.
Customer are advised to check the ScotRail website or app before travelling on Saturday morning.
Mark Ilderton, ScotRail Service Delivery Director, said: “The Met Office weather warnings for very high winds across the country mean that it will not be safe for our customers and our staff, and all ScotRail train services will be suspended on Friday.
“We recognise the impact that the withdrawal of train services will have on customers, but our first priority is always to ensure the safety of staff and passengers – and this is a necessary step to ensure everyone’s safety during the severe weather.
“Our colleagues at Network Rail Scotland will be working flat out once the worst of the weather passes, to carry out safety checks and assess what repairs are required to reopen the railway.
“We will update our website, mobile app, and social media feeds with the latest travel advice, and customers should check for further updates before they attempt to travel on Saturday morning.”
Follow our live blog for all the latest updates ahead of Storm Éowyn's arrival tomorrow.