Storm Eunice: Rail operators urge customers not to travel on Friday

With weather warnings in place and strong winds expected across the North of England and into Scotland, emergency speed restrictions are being put in place by Network Rail and TPE will be operating a minimal train plan.

As a result of the disruption, the train company is strongly urging customers to instead travel today (Thursday) or on Saturday, February 19.

Tickets for Friday, February 18 will be valid on TPE services today (Thursday) and Saturday, February 19, or a full refund can be obtained at tpexpress.co.uk/help/refunds with no admin fee.

More information and the latest updates on the situation can be found on the TPE website - www.tpexpress.co.uk/travel-updates - or at www.nationalrail.co.uk

Paul Watson, operations director for TransPennine Express, said: “Storm Eunice will be the second storm to impact our services this week and it is likely to cause major disruption to train services, right across the North of England and into Scotland.

“The most important thing is that our customers and staff are kept safe, and we are urging customers not to travel by train on Friday, February 18.

"We are instead asking customers to make their journeys on either Thursday, February 17 or Saturday, February 19.

“The situation with the weather is changing all the time, and customers should continue to check our website or National Rail Enquires for the latest information.”

Customers with questions about their journey can tweet the train company at @TPEAssist or WhatsApp on 07812 223336 and will usually receive a response within 10 minutes.

Alternatively, contact the TPE customer relations team via www.tpexpress.co.uk/help/contact-us

Northern has warned passengers that delays and cancellations are highly likely.

Chris Jackson, regional director for Northern, said: “Storm Eunice will cause widespread disruption across the network tomorrow, affecting all operators in the region.

“As such, we are advising passengers not to travel and to consider whether the journey is necessary.”

Network Rail has announced that additional, trained workers have been deployed at key locations across Yorkshire and the North East to respond to issues quickly, as strong winds and heavy rain are expected to cause widespread disruption for the railway.

Fallen trees and other debris can blow onto the line, with the potential to damage train-powering electric wiring or block the track.

As the Met Office has issued a rare red weather warning, trains will need to run at lower speeds to be safe - and services will be significantly reduced.

Matt Rice, North and East route director for Network Rail, said: “Running a railway through extreme weather is always a challenge.

"We have extra workers out on the network at key locations, ready to react quickly to Storm Eunice and repair the railway wherever it’s safe to do so.

"As the weather worsens I’d advise passengers to avoid travelling on Friday and, wherever possible, try to re-plan your journey when conditions improve.”