Train passengers are facing widespread disruption today as Storm Floris batters the UK with winds exceeding 70mph and torrential rain, prompting multiple rail operators to issue unprecedented “do not travel” warnings for services across northern England and Scotland.
The sixth named storm of the 2024-25 season has brought severe weather conditions that have effectively shut down large sections of Britain’s rail network, with fallen trees, flooded tracks, and damaged power lines causing chaos for Monday morning commuters and travellers.
The Met Office has issued yellow and amber weather warnings covering large swathes of northern England, northern Wales and Scotland, with gusts potentially reaching 85mph in exposed coastal areas. The amber warning for Scotland remains in force from 10am to 10pm today, whilst yellow warnings extend from 6am Monday until 6am Tuesday.
Multiple major rail operators have taken the extraordinary step of advising passengers not to attempt travel on key routes. Avanti West Coast is urging customers not to travel north of Preston, warning that Anglo-Scottish routes will be “heavily affected” throughout the day.
LNER and Lumo have both issued do not travel warnings for all services north of Newcastle, whilst TransPennine Express is advising passengers to avoid journeys north of Carlisle or Newcastle. CrossCountry has gone further, telling customers not to travel to or from Scotland at all.
Storm Floris may impact your journey today, check before you travel,” a National Rail spokesperson warned, as Network Rail Scotland imposed a blanket 50mph speed restriction across all Scottish lines as a safety precaution.
ScotRail has suspended services on numerous suburban routes in Strathclyde, whilst lines from Glasgow, Edinburgh and Perth to Aberdeen and Inverness will close from late morning. The iconic West Highland Line to Fort William, Oban and Mallaig has been shut completely.
Caledonian Sleeper services face significant disruption, with trains cancelled north of the central belt tonight. Whilst sleeper services between London, Edinburgh and Glasgow are expected to run, operators warn they will face substantial delays.
The disruption extends well beyond Scotland and the far north. Trains through Preston are delayed until at least 4pm, whilst services between Huyton and St Helens Central face disruption until approximately 3.30pm.
Further south, delays through East Croydon are expected to continue until 4pm. Flooding is causing major problems between Chester and Llandudno Junction, with disruption forecast until at least 4.30pm. Services between Plymouth and Gunnislake face the longest delays, with issues expected to persist until 10.30pm.
Passengers travelling between Bedford and Bletchley are experiencing reduced services for the remainder of the day, whilst disruption between London Paddington and Heathrow Terminals, as well as Reading, is expected to continue until around 3.45pm.
Rail replacement bus services have been implemented on several routes. Buses are replacing trains between Sellafield and Workington until further notice, and services to and from Crewkerne will rely on replacement transport until Monday, August 11.
Ross Moran, Route Director at Network Rail Scotland, confirmed crews worked throughout the weekend to prepare infrastructure for the storm’s impact. “Storm Floris is likely to bring unusually strong winds, and we’re taking proactive measures,” he stated. Chainsaw-equipped response teams remain on standby to clear fallen trees and debris.
The storm’s timing has caught many off guard, with Scottish Transport Secretary Fiona Hyslop noting the “unusual timing” of such severe weather in August. “Given the fact some people will be on holiday, travelling or perhaps unaware, we are trying to raise even more awareness than usual of this potentially disruptive storm,” she said.
The disruption has particularly affected hundreds of Aberdeen football fans attempting to travel to Edinburgh for today’s Scottish Premiership match against Hearts, with the fixture coinciding with the storm’s peak intensity.
Beyond rail services, Storm Floris has caused wider transport chaos. Aviation analytics company Cirium reported 68 flight cancellations from UK airports, representing 2.2 per cent of scheduled departures. Glasgow Airport has been particularly affected, with multiple flights to Scottish islands cancelled.
Ferry operator CalMac has issued numerous cancellation warnings, whilst road bridges across Scotland face potential closures. In Northern Ireland, thousands of homes have lost power as the storm swept in overnight.
Edinburgh’s famous festivals face disruption, with Edinburgh City Council announcing the closure of Princes Street Gardens today and Tuesday, forcing the cancellation of several Fringe events.
Met Office chief meteorologist Matthew Lehnert warned: “Across the warning area, many inland areas are likely to see gusts of 40-50mph, with 60-70mph more likely at higher elevations and around exposed coasts in Scotland. There is a small chance that some locations here could even record gusts of 85mph.”
Rail operators stress that passengers with tickets for today’s cancelled services can use them on alternative dates. Those who do manage to complete delayed journeys may be entitled to compensation, though operators urge travellers to retain tickets and journey details to support claims.
As Storm Floris continues its destructive path across northern Britain, authorities urge the public to secure loose items such as garden furniture and trampolines to prevent debris endangering railway lines and roads. With the storm expected to persist into Tuesday morning in eastern areas, further disruption appears inevitable.
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Image Credit:
This is a licensed photograph:
- Avanti West Coast Train at Coventry Station – Description: Avanti West Coast Train – geograph.org.uk – 6977316.jpg, depicting a British Rail Class 221 in Avanti West Coast livery at Coventry station. Photo by Anne Burgess, taken on 23 September 2021, licensed under Creative Commons Attribution‑ShareAlike 2.0 Generic (CC BY‑SA 2.0)
