23.12.16
ScotRail cancels services because of Storm Barbara
Travellers going home for Christmas in Scotland have been warned to expect disruption as ScotRail has cancelled a number of services due to Storm Barbara.
The Met Office has issued amber and yellow weather warnings for Scotland and the north of England over today and Christmas Eve.
Glasgow Queen Street – Oban, Inverness – Kyle of Lochalsh/Wick, and Perth – Edinburgh services will be cancelled for the rest of today and the early part of tomorrow morning.
Passenger tickets purchased for today are valid until 28 December, and Citylink buses will accept rail tickets tickets on the Glasgow to Oban route.
Trains on the Fife Circle will start and terminate at Kirkcaldy or Inverkeithing, Stranraer – Kilmarnock services will start and terminate at Ayr, and trains between Inverness and Glasgow Queen Street/Edinburgh will stop at Perth. Services between Glasgow Central and Carlisle and Newcastle will also call at different stations.
The disruption is the latest blow for ScotRail operator Abellio, which has been required to implement an improvement plan to address significant delays and faced threats from the Scottish government to establish a public sector body and take over the railway.
ScotRail advised passengers to travel as early as possible, because trains may need to run at slower speeds due to high winds.
Storm Barbara, the second named storm of the season after Storm Angus last month, is expected to reach wind speeds of 90 mph.
In England, TransPennine and Virgin services between Lancaster and Carlisle will also run at slower speeds, meaning passengers were warned to expect delays of up to 30 minutes between 12pm and 6pm today.
(Image c. Danny Lawson from PA Images)
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