Passengers advised to check before travelling today as high winds impact rail services

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Thursday, 29 November 2018

Passengers advised to check before travelling today as high winds impact rail services

London Northwestern Railway and West Midlands Railway services may be subject to delays and alterations today (29 Nov), as a 50-mph speed limit has been imposed on all main line routes.

Passengers are advised to allow extra time for their journeys and to check their train times. Long distance services, which usually operate at up to 110-mph, will take significantly longer than usual this morning.

Network Rail has put the speed restriction in place due to high winds, which are expected to continue until around lunchtime.

A spokesman for Network Rail said: "We have put in place speed restrictions as a safety precaution while Storm Diana passes through. Strong winds increase the risk of trees falling onto the railway. This is why we manage trackside vegetation continually throughout the year. Passengers should check with National Rail Enquiries, nationalrail.co.uk , or their train operator for the very latest travel information."

The speed restriction is expected to be lifted at around 1200 today, should weather conditions improve. However, knock-on alterations can be expected throughout the day.

Any passengers who are delayed by 15 minutes or more as a result of this disruption should claim for compensation through delay repay.

For the latest travel information, follow @lnrailway and @westmidrailway on Twitter

About West Midlands Trains

For further information on this release, call our press office on 03300 955150 or email [email protected]

West Midlands Trains operates both West Midlands Railway and London Northwestern Railway services.

  • London Northwestern Railway services operate between Liverpool and Birmingham, and on the West Coast mainline to and from London Euston.
  • West Midlands Railway services operate to destinations across the West Midlands via Birmingham New Street.

For more information on these services visit westmidlandsrailway.co.uk or londonnorthwesternrailway.co.uk

The West Midlands Trains franchise started on 10 December 2017 and will run until 2025/26.

West Midlands Trains operates 1,300 services a day, manages 150 stations and provides over 70 million passenger journeys a year. Over the course of the franchise, West Midlands Trains will be investing £1 billion into the rail network to deliver new trains, improved routes and station upgrades. This will include 400 new train carriages across the network and space for an extra 85,000 passengers into Birmingham and London at peak times.

The franchise is a joint venture between Abellio (70.1% share) and East Japan Railway Company / Mitsui & Co., Ltd (29.9% share in a 50:50 split). Abellio is the international passenger transport subsidiary of the Dutch national railway company, Nederlandse Spoorwegen. In the UK, Abelllio operates ScotRail and Greater Anglia train services, Merseyrail services in a joint venture with Serco and buses through Abellio London. For more information visit www.abellio.com

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