Urgent: verify plans before north and west Scotland travel

Saturday, December 16, 2023

This weekend, parts of Scotland railway network will implement speed restrictions due to the forecast of extreme rainfall. The Met Office has issued Amber and Yellow warnings for rain and high winds in the north and west of the country on Saturday, December 16, and Sunday.

Passengers are advised to verify their travel plans for potential disruptions on the following lines:

1. The West Highland line, including the Oban and Mallaig routes, will have speed restrictions in place from Saturday afternoon until at least 09:00 on Monday.
2. The Wemyss Bay line, between Port Glasgow and Wemyss Bay, will be subject to speed restrictions from Sunday morning until at least 09:00 on Monday.
3. The Highland Mainline and Far North line will face restrictions from the start of service until at least 15:00 on Sunday.
4. The Kyle of Lochalsh line will experience speed restrictions from the start of service on Sunday morning until at least 09:00 on Monday.

Heavy rainfall can lead to landslides or erode the ballast supporting the rails, while high winds increase the risk of trees falling onto the tracks. Slowing down trains during adverse weather conditions provides additional time to respond if trees or landslides obstruct the tracks.

Network Rail’s specialized weather forecasters will continuously monitor the situation, and engineers will be on standby to address any disruptions caused by the weather conditions.

Liam Sumpter, route director for Network Rail Scotland, emphasized the importance of passenger safety: “We anticipate severe weather affecting parts of Scotland’s Railway, particularly in the north and west. Persistent heavy rainfall over the weekend necessitates speed restrictions on certain lines to ensure the safety of our staff and passengers. Please check your travel plans with your train operator before heading out if your journey involves one of the affected lines.”

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