Railway companies have announced major changes to services across the UK amid the arrival of Storm Bert.

The "multi-hazard event" is bringing snow, rain and wind to places all across the country, creating difficult travel conditions.

Railway companies announce travel disruption amid Storm Bert

In Scotland, speed restrictions will be put in place during Storm Bert on the West Highland Line, Highland Mainline, Stranraer Line, Glasgow South Western Line, Far North Line, and West Coast Mainline between Carstairs and the border.

ScotRail has also withdrawn services from Inverness to Elgin, Aberdeen to Inverurie, and Glasgow Queen Street to Oban while trains from Glasgow Central to Carlisle will terminate at Dumfries.

South Western Rail (SWR) asked passengers to only travel west of Basingstoke if their journeys are absolutely essential.

SWR also announced that services between Exeter and London Waterloo will start and finish at Basingstoke, that journey times will be longer between Salisbury and Exeter and between Bournemouth and Weymouth due to speed restrictions, and services across its network will start later than usual on Sunday and Monday because of safety inspections.

 

TransPennine Express “strongly” urged customers not to travel north of Carlisle on Saturday while Avanti West Coast told passengers not to travel north of Preston – including Lancaster, Oxenholme, Penrith, Carlisle, Glasgow and Edinburgh.

However, UK airports have said they are not anticipating any disruption over the course of the weather warnings.

A spokesperson for Birmingham Airport said: “Whilst we are not anticipating disruption at this time… we will continue to keep a close eye on the situation, as Storm Bert moves in.”

Manchester Airport said: “we’re expecting bad weather but aren’t anticipating any disruption” while Newcastle Airport said it will be operating as normal overnight with teams “fully prepared to respond should conditions deteriorate”.