Storm Darragh sparks mass train cancellations as thousands impacted by travel chaos
A rare red weather warning has been issued for parts of Wales and South West England as Storm Darragh batters the UK with life-threatening conditions.
Wind speeds of up to 92mph were recorded in North Wales overnight, prompting the Government to issue an emergency risk to life alert this morning.
The severe weather warning remains in place from 3am until 11pm today.
A separate amber warning covers most of the UK’s west coast from southern Scotland to Cornwall and Northern Ireland until 9pm.
More than 80,000 homes are currently without power as the dangerous conditions continue.
Major transport routes across the country have been forced to close as Storm Darragh continues to wreak havoc.
The Prince of Wales bridge and Severn Bridge on the M48 have both been shut due to extreme weather conditions.
The QEII Bridge at Dartford Crossing and the A5 in the West Midlands have also been closed.
Rail networks have been severely impacted, with Network Rail Wales suspending all services west of Cardiff after trees fell onto lines.
Trees are also blocking South Western Railway routes between Salisbury and Tisbury, and between Farnham and Aldershot.
National Rail has issued a stark warning to passengers, strongly advising against travel during the severe weather conditions.
“We strongly advise you to avoid travelling if you can. Trains are running, but there is major disruption, and you may be heavily delayed or experience severe overcrowding,” a National Rail spokesperson said.
Passengers are being urged to check their journey immediately before setting off.
Those affected by cancellations or delays may be entitled to compensation, with details available through National Rail’s journey planner.
– Avanti West Coast has suspended all services between Holyhead and Chester, with no replacement transport available.
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– CrossCountry has cancelled multiple routes, including Edinburgh to Glasgow Central/Aberdeen, Newcastle to Reading, and services to Cambridge, Stansted Airport and Cardiff Central.
– Great Western Railway has suspended services across numerous routes, including Cardiff to Carmarthen and multiple lines in Devon and Cornwall.
– Northern services between Liverpool Lime Street and Warrington Central face delays due to fallen trees.
– ScotRail has suspended routes between Aberdeen and Inverurie, and between Inverness and Elgin.
– All lines between Shrewsbury and Chester/Birmingham International remain closed today.
– An object caught in overhead electric wires at Wolverhampton is causing additional delays until around midday.
– Chiltern Railways has announced a significantly reduced timetable amid the severe weather conditions.
The operator will run just one train per hour on each route throughout Saturday.
Passengers with tickets for Saturday’s services have been offered flexibility, with the ability to use them on Sunday, Monday or Tuesday instead.
The rail company has urged people to only travel if absolutely necessary.
Customers are advised to check for updates on their specific routes, with widespread disruption expected across almost all services.