WEATHER has caused significant disruption to ScotRail services after an amber weather warning was issued in Scotland.
The country’s national train operator warned that the Met Office’s forecast of heavy rain has led to the suspension of several services.
⚠️ A month's worth of rain is expected in 24hrs tomorrow (7 Oct), Amber & Yellow @MetOffice warnings are in place for much of Scotland. There will be widespread disruption to services, with no trains or replacement transport at all on some lines. Full details in next tweet. /1 https://t.co/glU3nACM1g
— ScotRail (@ScotRail) October 6, 2023
From 1am on Saturday, the West Highland line, which operates in Oban, Mallaig and Fort William, will be suspended.
The Helensburgh Central/Balloch to Dalmuir service will also stop, though services between Dalmuir and Glasgow will remain in operation.
Services on the Highland Main Line route between Perth and Inverness will also cease.
The affected routes are expected to be back in operation by Sunday morning.
ScotRail said the majority of other routes across its network will also be affected due to temporary speed restrictions put in place as a safety precaution.
Customers have been advised to travel only when necessary, to expect delays, and to check their journey before setting off.
Updates on ScotRail’s services can be found on the company website, app or social media pages.
Customers whose journey has been cancelled or disrupted due to the weather can travel one day before or two days after the date on their ticket.
Fee-free refunds will also be given where this is not applicable.
The Met Office announced earlier on Friday that areas of the Highlands and central Scotland, including Glasgow, Stirling and Perth, could have up to 180mm of rainfall over the weekend.
The amber warning is in place from 3am on Saturday until 6am on Sunday.
David Simpson, ScotRail service delivery director, said: “The Met Office has issued an amber weather warning for heavy rain for parts of Scotland, which could see over a month’s worth expected to fall on areas of the Highlands and central Scotland, as well as Glasgow, Perth and Stirling.
“We know the impact that the withdrawal of some train services will have on customers but it’s a necessary step to ensure the safety of our staff and customers due to the severe rainfall.
“As a precautionary measure in order to keep our customers and staff safe, speed restrictions will also be in place across most routes in Scotland, which will result in extended journey times.
“Customers are advised that they should travel only when necessary, and for those that do, they should check their journey before travelling, and keep an eye on our website, app or social media feeds for live updates.”
