Scotland is bracing for disruption as an amber warning goes out for Storm Dudley and a yellow for Storm Eunice.
As part of a series of precautions for Storm Dudley, ScotRail train services will cease running early on Wednesday afternoon.
Domestic rail services will be wound down by 4pm on Wednesday when the worst of Storm Dudley is expected to sweep across the country.
ScotRail services on the Far North, Kyle of Lochalsh, and Aberdeen-Inverness lines will continue to run. Some cross-border services will operate too, but at reduced speeds.
The action was taken as Transport Scotland warned widespread disruption is likely, with alerts being sent by the Met Office from 6pm on Wednesday evening (16th Feb) until 9am on Thursday morning, ahead of Storm Dudley. It covers the south of Scotland, the Central Belt, Strathclyde and parts of Tayside and Fife. A yellow wind warning covers the whole of Scotland from 3pm on Wednesday until 6pm on Thursday. A further yellow warning for wind is in place for Friday in southern parts of Scotland ahead of Storm Eunice.
The strong winds, which are expected to reach 90 mph in some parts, could also lead to fallen trees, damage to buildings and power cuts. Police Scotland’s travel advice is warning of a high risk of disruption for the amber warning period.
The Transport Scotland Resilience Room and the Multi Agency Response Team will be stood up for the duration of the warning to monitor conditions. Traffic Scotland will be providing updates on social media, as well as their website and radio broadcasts, from the National Traffic Control Centre.
Minister for transport Jenny Gilruth said: “The Met Office is warning us to expect another period of disruption later this week, with Storm Dudley set to bring strong winds to Scotland. The south of Scotland and the Central Belt facing the worst of the conditions.
“The high winds will likely bring challenges for the trunk road network, with the potential for restrictions on bridges, so travellers should make sure they plan their journey in advance, drive to the conditions and follow Police Scotland travel advice.
“The Traffic Scotland mobile website – my.trafficscotland.org – lets people get the latest information on the move and the Traffic Scotland twitter page is updated regularly. You can also find details of ‘wind based’ closures for the bridges on the trunk road network, allowing you to check if your planned route is available.
“If you are planning to travel by train, ferry or air, please check with your operator to make sure your service is still running.”
Chief Inspector Neil Lumsden, of Road Policing, said: “We are asking motorists to be prepared for the potential for strong winds across Scotland following the weather warnings from the Met Office.
“You should allow extra time for your journey and drive to the road conditions. I would urge motorists to check the Met Office and Traffic Scotland websites and social media before setting out on their journey, particularly in those areas most affected by the predicted adverse weather.”
Liam Sumpter, Network Rail route director for Scotland, said: “Storm Dudley has the potential to cause significant disruption to our infrastructure blowing trees onto tracks and damaging equipment.
“We will be working hard on Wednesday evening and Thursday morning to respond to any issues caused by Storm Dudley and will reintroduce services as soon as lines are inspected for damage and we are sure it is safe to do so.”
David Simpson, ScotRail service delivery director, said: “We know the impact that the earlier withdrawal of services will have on customers but it’s a necessary step to ensure the safety of our staff and customers due to the severe weather.
“If you have to travel tomorrow (Wednesday), please check the ScotRail app or website before heading to the station. With services being withdrawn in the early afternoon, we’d ask all customers to carefully plan ahead.”
Further significant weather is being forecast for most of Scotland on Friday (February 18) and our weather specialists are monitoring the conditions. Passengers are urged to continue to check their journey before travelling over the course of the weekend.
