280 incidents reported after Storm Amy batters Scotland’s Railway
Network Rail Scotland say more than 280 incidents have now been reported across Scotland's railway following Storm Amy.
Teams have been working around the clock to repair extensive damage caused by the storm, which battered Scotland’s Railway overnight with 100mph amid a Met Office amber warning for damaging winds.
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Crews were on site throughout the night and remain on the ground today, responding to widespread disruption across the network including flooding, fallen trees, damaged overhead wires and debris on the tracks.
Several lines in the north of Scotland were proactively closed ahead of Storm Amy’s arrival and all Highland routes remain cancelled today.
Met Office weather warnings remain in place today and tomorrow for parts of the Highlands, with strong winds continuing to affect northern areas, and no guarantees yet that north train services will resume on Sunday.
Ross Moran, route director at Network Rail Scotland, said: “Our teams are working tirelessly to assess the damage, inspect the railway, and carry out essential repairs. They’re often out in extremely challenging conditions, especially with Storm Amy still affecting parts of northern Scotland.
“Safety remains our top priority. We must ensure our teams can work safely on the ground and confirm that lines are secure before passenger services can run.
“We understand how disruptive this is for passengers and we’re sorry for the inconvenience. Severe weather events like Storm Amy pose a significant challenge for the railway, but we’re doing everything we can to restore services as quickly and safely as possible.”
Mark Ilderton, ScotRail service delivery director, said: “We are sorry to our customers who have been impacted by the disruption caused across the country by Storm Amy.
“The safety of customers and staff is our absolute priority, and we are working closely with our colleagues at Network Rail to return services as quickly as it’s safe to do so.
“Anyone travelling today should check their journey before they set off via the ScotRail website, mobile app, or social media feeds – which will be updated throughout the day.”