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Storm Amy Causes Widespread Disruption to Scotland's Railways
7 Oct
Summary
- Storm Amy led to over 480 incidents on Scotland's rail network
- Highlands, Aberdeenshire, and Perthshire were worst affected
- 550 Network Rail staff worked around the clock to repair damage
According to reports, Storm Amy, which hit Scotland last week, created "real challenges" for the country's railway operator, ScotRail. The heavy rain and high winds caused more than 480 incidents across the network, with the Highlands, Aberdeenshire, and Perthshire being the worst-affected areas.
The storm brought winds of up to 96mph, leading to flooding on tracks, fallen trees, and damage to overhead lines and other debris. This resulted in significant cancellations and delays across Scotland on Friday. Network Rail, the infrastructure manager, deployed around 550 staff to work around the clock to rectify the damage and restore the network as quickly and safely as possible.
Ross Moran, the route director for Network Rail Scotland, expressed gratitude to passengers for their patience and understanding during the disruption. He acknowledged the frustration caused by the storm's impact and appreciated the public's support throughout the recovery efforts. Mark Ilderton, the ScotRail Service delivery director, also praised the "massive joint effort" with Network Rail to get services running again.
The storm's impact was not limited to the rail network. The energy provider SSEN reported that as of Tuesday, around 1,400 households remained without power, primarily in the Highlands. SSEN said it expects the majority of customers still offline to be reconnected at some point on Tuesday evening.
