Wet weather wreaks road and rail havoc in the west
A landslip on the West Highland Line will mean train services between Crianlarich and Fort William being affected until at least Saturday.
Extensive damage was caused on a section of the line between the neighbouring stations of Bridge of Orchy and Upper Tyndrum, said Scot Rail.
Passenger train services provided by Scot Rail and Caledonian Sleeper have been affected, as well as GB Rail Freight Ltd.
Network Rail Scotland said it was working hard on site and expected the line to re-open on Saturday.
Train services between Glasgow Queen Street and the terminus at Mallaig for ferries to Skye have been ‘revised’ with buses in place in some areas.
The closure sparked calls from John Finnie MSP, the Scottish Greens Transport spokesman, that ‘immediate action’ is needed to ‘climate proof’ Scotland’s railways.
Mr Finnie said: ‘We know Scotland’s antiquated rail network is vulnerable to adverse weather and we know that as the climate emergency grips we will be faced by increasingly severe weather.
‘Action must be taken now to protect and enhance Scotland’s railway.
‘Many of my constituents rely on the West Highland Line, and it provides a massive economic boost to communities along its route, but frustrations are building at regular closures caused by the weather.
‘I commend those who work tirelessly to keep the railway open, but it’s clear we urgently need a climate plan to protect this and other lines.’
Last weekend saw the region battered again by persistent rainfall.
On Saturday overnight into Sunday, Scotland’s flood forecasting and warning service had 10 Regional Flood Alerts and seven Local Flood Warnings in force.
In total, the Scottish Environment Protection Agency said that between 70mm – 80mm fell.
There was a second landslip on the A83 at the Rest and Be Thankful within a matter of weeks.
The vital connecting high-level Tarbet route with
Lochgilphead and the A816 to Oban, was closed on Saturday afternoon as a safety precaution in advance of a Met Office yellow alert for heavy rain.
And it was discovered on Sunday September 13 that around 5,000 tonnes of mud and boulders had slipped and reached road level.