Weather warning sees rail services end early

Train services in Scotland will end at 4pm today as the country braces itself ahead of being hit by the first of two storms.

Scotrail announced yesterday its services would end early today due to Storm Dudley, the forecast for which has led to the Met Office issuing an amber weather warning for the north of England and the central belt and south of Scotland.

Gusts could rise as high as 90mph in coastal areas, with the amber warning due to come into force at 4pm today and expire at midnight, when it will be downgraded to a yellow warning until 6am on Thursday.

Storm Dudley will be immediately followed by Storm Eunice later this week.

Services running in the far north, Kyle of Lochalsh and Aberdeeninverness lines will continue to run as usual.

“Most Scotrail train services will shut down from 1600 on Wednesday,” the rail operator said on Twitter.

The RNLI warned adverse weather conditions could make seas “treacherous”, urging people to take extra care in coastal areas.

“The expected storms could make our seas treacherous, increasing the risk for those visiting the coast,” RNLI national water safety partner, Samantha Hughes, said.

“In a normal year, around 150 people lose their lives at the coast, and we know that more than half of those never intended to be in the water.

“We ask people to stay well back from stormy, wintery seas and cliff edges, check tide times before you go and to take a phone with you and call 999 or 112 and ask for the Coastguard if you or someone else is in trouble.”