Rail lines in western and northern Scotland will close as Storm Boelo arrives on Saturday, bringing gusts of up to 80mph. An amber weather warning will be in force from Saturday evening until 9pm on Sunday.
The Met Office has upgraded a yellow warning for strong winds to amber for all of mainland Scotland and islands off its west coast. A yellow warning begins at midday on Saturday, with the amber alert taking effect at 9pm and lasting until 9pm on Sunday. Only Orkney will remain under the yellow warning.
Service Closures and Speed Restrictions
Network Rail Scotland said services south and west of Kilwinning in North Ayrshire will stop from 9pm on Saturday, while the Oban and Mallaig lines will close from around 10pm. On Sunday, the line between Kyle of Lochalsh and Achnashellach in the Highlands will be closed from the start of service, along with the railway between Wick and Helmsdale.
Trains will also run at reduced speeds across large parts of Scotland as the storm moves through, with speed restrictions starting late Saturday evening and continuing into the following day. Speed restrictions will remain until winds ease, and lines will stay shut until they are inspected and deemed safe to reopen.
Safety First, Says Network Rail
Craig Gorman, head of operational weather strategy at Network Rail Scotland, said: “We know closing lines and slowing trains will have a significant impact on people’s plans this weekend, and these aren’t decisions we take lightly. But when we’re facing weather of this scale, we have to put safety first and make sensible calls before conditions deteriorate.”
Gorman added: “A huge amount of work goes on behind the scenes to understand how the weather could affect different parts of the railway. We’ll keep a close eye on conditions as Storm Boelo moves across Scotland and adapt our response where we need to, while doing everything we can to keep people moving.”
Warnings and Travel Advice
The Met Office said: “Very strong westerly winds associated with Storm Boelo are expected, with fairly widespread gusts of 60 to 70mph and gusts to 80mph in exposed coastal areas. The strongest winds will initially affect western Scotland and the far north of Northern Ireland on Saturday evening and then spread eastwards overnight and through Sunday.”
The Transport Scotland Resilience Room and Multi Agency Response Team will monitor conditions and co-ordinate responses across the transport network during the warning period. Superintendent Andy Barclay, deputy head of road policing for Police Scotland, said: “The amber warning for wind means there is a high risk of disruption on the road network and travel conditions may be hazardous. Our advice is to plan ahead and consider if your journey is really necessary or if it can be delayed until conditions improve. Stopping distances can be at least double on wet roads compared to dry conditions, and spray can reduce driver visibility. HGV and bus drivers should drive with extreme caution and be aware you may be asked to park at a suitable position by the police. If you need to travel, please drive to the conditions and allow extra time for your journey.”
Scotland’s Transport Secretary Stephen Flynn said: “The Met Office has upgraded its warning for Storm Boelo, with disruptive winds and heavy rain expected to impact most of Scotland this weekend. While the most severe conditions are expected within the amber warning area in the west of Scotland, a yellow warning remains in force across the whole country and travellers everywhere should be prepared for potential disruption.”
Storm Austen Brings Rain on Friday
Heavy rain is sweeping Scotland on Friday due to Storm Austen, with a Met Office yellow warning for rain in force across much of southern and eastern Scotland. The Met Office said there is a “small chance” homes and businesses could be flooded, causing damage to buildings.
People travelling have been urged to check the availability of trains and buses, while motorists have been warned that spray and flooding may affect drivers and cause road closures. The Scottish Environment Protection Agency has 10 flood alerts in place on Friday. ScotRail said its services to and from Aberdeen, Glasgow Central to Edinburgh and Glasgow Central to Carlisle may face speed restrictions or cancellations because of the storms. Network Rail Scotland said speed restrictions will be in place on parts of the West Coast Main Line and East Coast Main Line, as well as routes across southern and eastern Scotland, during some parts of the day.
