Storm Jocelyn, the tenth named storm in recent months, has forced ScotRail to suspend all train services throughout Scotland from 7 pm this evening, Tuesday 23 January and for most of tomorrow, Wednesday, 24 January.
The suspensions mean that no rush hour services will operate tomorrow morning, as high winds and extreme rainfall from Storm Jocelyn arrives.
The decision to close the railway to passenger services was taken by Network Rail to maintain the safety of customers and staff while the worst of the weather hits the railway infrastructure. The suspension will also affect other operators running services between England and Scotland.
Last weekend's Storm Isha significantly affected the railway infrastructure across Scotland, and it is expected that Storm Jocelyn's forecast high winds throughout most of the country will continue to cause problems across the network.
It is expected that there will be high winds of up to 60/70 mph that could cause trees and other debris to fall onto the tracks, making conditions where it is unsafe to operate trains, and could also lead to trains being trapped during their journeys. Many parts of the network were affected by Storm Isha, and Storm Jocelyn represents an enhanced risk of further damage to the network.
Services that depart before 7 pm will not be completed but will continue to complete their journey, but no services will depart after that time.
Before trains can resume operations, each route will have to undergo a safety inspection so it will probably be later on Wednesday before any services can run.
Anyone whose journey is cancelled or disrupted due to adverse weather can travel two days after the date on their ticket, or apply for a refund if they do not use their tickets.
Updates on the latest travel advice will be published on the ScotRail website and app.
Phil Campbell, ScotRail Customer Operations Director, said:
“The heavy wind and ongoing rain hitting most parts of the country mean that it will not be safe for our customers and our staff, and all ScotRail train services will be suspended from 19.00 tomorrow.
“This is the second withdrawal of train services this week, and we know the impact this has on customers, but the safety of staff and passengers will always be our priority.
“Our colleagues at Network Rail Scotland will again be working flat out to carry out safety checks, and assess what repairs are required to reopen the railway.
“However, customers will be unable to travel early on Wednesday morning, as trains will not be able to operate until the infrastructure has been made safe.
“We will update our website, mobile app, and social media feeds when we have more information, and customers should check for the latest updates before they attempt to travel.”
