Storm Isha travel chaos with early end for trains across Scotland

dailyrecord.co.uk:

Scots rail services will be closing early tomorrow due to severe winds expected as Storm Isha gets set to batter the nation.

From 7pm tomorrow night, Sunday, January 21, trains will come to a stop on all routes outside the central belt, along with Fife, Borders, Maryhill, East Kilbride and Kilmarnock lines.

Other lines in the central belt will have a reduced timetable and passengers are advised to expect longer journey times as trains will be limited to 40mph.The amber Met Office warning in place across the country is expected to bring winds of up to 70/80mph in places, which could lead to trees and other debris falling onto the tracks.Heavy rain and melting snow will also increase the risks to the railway’s infrastructure this weekend and can cause landslides and flooding.Engineers will need to inspect the closed lines for any damage following the storm and passengers are being advised that services will start later on Monday on affected routes.Passengers should check their journey before travelling at National Rail Enquiries or with their train operator.Liam Sumpter, Network Rail Scotland route director, said: “Our priority is the safety of our passengers and colleagues and that is why we have taken the decision to close some parts of our network early on Sunday night as the worst of Storm Isha hits the country.“Our engineers will also need to thoroughly inspect the network for any damage before we reopen the lines and restart train services on Monday morning.“Weather specialists, based in our control room, will monitor conditions closely throughout the weekend and our teams on the ground will be ready to deal with any issues caused by the storm as quickly as possible.”Phil Campbell, ScotRail customer operations