Work continues to recover transport network
Ministers have thanked workers for getting as much of the transport network as possible up and running again with the worst of Storm Éowyn having now passed.
This follows a rare red warning for wind, and a series of severe weather warnings – including several amber/yellow alerts for wind, snow, and ice across the country. A yellow warning for wind remains in effect across the north of Scotland until 1500 today.
The latest summary across the network is as follows:
- Some ScotRail rail services will return to normal by lunchtime today (Saturday 25/1) , with others following later in the afternoon
- Some rail routes may be subject to line speed restrictions on re-opening, so be prepared for delays.
- Many local roads remain flooded or closed, please check with local authorities for the latest information. Bus services could be impacted or diverted, so check with your operator.
- While most of the trunk road network is now open thanks to the efforts of Operating Companies and emergency services, there are some key strategic routes which remain closed whilst the operating companies deal with the clear up from the storm.
- On ferries, vessels and ports are being inspected for damage and services are resuming. Passengers should check for any restrictions on local access roads before setting off.
- Similarly, please ensure to check the status of your flight with airlines before travelling.
A yellow warning for wind is in effect until Sunday 26 January at 1500 covering a wide area from Ayrshire, Arran and across to Islay, which will continue to present challenges for HGVs, and which could disrupt ferry services.
All this information is subject to change given the scale of impact and potential for further incidents – so please continue to check with your transport operator or get the latest information trunk roads from Traffic Scotland before making your journey.
Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Fiona Hyslop said:
"Communities across Scotland have endured extremely challenging weather conditions in recent days. With the Police Scotland ‘Do Not Travel’ advice now ended, it is only natural that people will want to get out and about again.
“However, with some yellow weather warnings still in place and the clear-up operation ongoing, I am asking people to remain vigilant for disruption. Teams across the network will continue working tirelessly as we move throughout the weekend towards the Monday commute.
“On behalf of the Scottish Government, I would like to express our thanks for their incredible continued efforts. We stand ready to assist local authorities where we can and would urge the public to remain cautious, plan ahead, and check before travelling."
Joanne Maguire, ScotRail Managing Director said:
“Storm Éowyn has caused severe damage to the rail network across the country. Network Rail colleagues have been working throughout the night to assess the extent of the damage and ScotRail teams are supporting this tireless work to get services back up and running but this will take time. Disruption will continue throughout the weekend at least. Customers are advised to check the ScotRail app or website for the most up-to-date information before making travel plans.
“So far almost 400 incidents have been identified, all of which need to be assessed and repaired before we can restart services. The safety of our customers and staff is our priority at all times.
“Some services have been able to run this morning on routes where we experienced the least damage, but the vast majority of routes remain closed.
“I’d like to thank everyone involved in the cleanup operation, it’s an almighty task and our teams are working flat out to deliver services to our customers.”
Ross Moran, Network Rail Scotland route director said:
“Our engineers are hard at work across the country repairing the damage caused by Storm Éowyn.
“The extreme winds which battered our network have caused extensive damage across Scotland’s Railway bringing over 120 trees down onto the tracks.
“With hundreds of incidents across the country to respond to we are working around-the-clock to reopen all of our railway as quickly as possible and keep our customers moving.”
Douglas Cairns from Transport Scotland said:
“I want to thank everyone for listening to the travel advice over the last few days. Across the red warning area, we have seen significant reductions in traffic volumes, as much as 85% on some routes. I want to thank people for their continued patience while our road operating companies work to reopen and repair on damage on impacted routes.
“Engineers had to wait until first light this morning to continue the inspections and debris clear up that ensures our roads network is safe for traffic – that work continues behind the scenes.
“It is going to be cold and windy over the remainder of the weekend and into Monday morning. Weather warnings are still in place by the Met Office – so please plan ahead, continue to check local authority updates, visit the Traffic Scotland website, and ensure you drive to the conditions with ice expected across much of Scotland.”
A Calmac spokeswoman said:
“Vital checks have and continue to be carried out today to prepare for sailings to resume where possible and safe to do so. Conditions remain challenging, with amber and/or yellow warnings in place.
“We are prioritising lifeline goods and services to support island communities affected by the storm, with a number of sailings now scheduled to go ahead. However delays and cancellations will continue throughout the day due to the impact of Storm Éowyn.
“We apologise for any inconvenience that these further cancellations may cause and would encourage any customer wishing to travel to check the service status of their route on the CalMac app or website regularly, as services will remain at high-risk of disruption.”