Tomorrow, Friday, 18th February, there will be disruption to trains on the Southeastern network because of the forecast for gale-force winds, because of Storm Eunice.
The Met Office has issued an amber weather warning because of the storm. Because of this, there will be a 50mph speed restriction across most of Southeastern's network between 10:00 and 18:00, and some trains will be cancelled. This is a safety precaution because of the likelihood of trees and debris being blown onto the tracks.
As a result of the speed restrictions, there will be some changes to Southeastern's timetable tomorrow:
- Trains between Hastings and London Charing Cross will not run between London Bridge and Charing Cross;
- Peak hour trains between the Medway Towns and London Cannon Street will not run in both the morning and evening;
- Peak hour trains between Hastings/Ashford/Tonbridge and London Cannon Street will not run in both the morning and evening.
Although the Metro services are likely to suffer less of an impact by the speed restriction, trains on other routes are likely to be delayed by at least 20 minutes. Southeastern's Metro services cover routes from London as far as Hayes, Sevenoaks, and Rochester.
Because of the high risk of disruption and the likelihood of trees and debris blocking the lines, Southeastern is recommending that passengers should consider postponing their journey or work from home if possible. Passengers with tickets for Friday will be able to use them today or on Saturday at no extra charge or can apply for a refund.
Passengers who do travel tomorrow should allow extra time for their journey and should be prepared for disruption. Anyone intending to travel tomorrow should check for the latest travel information on the Southeastern website, Twitter @Se_Railway, or National Rail Enquiries.
Passengers can also sign up to receive real-time alerts for their journey through National Rail Enquiries.
