Major travel problems have hit people across Tayside, Fife and beyond as Storm Arwen makes its presence felt on Scotland’s east coast.
People are being urged not to travel as a series of red, amber and yellow warnings for strong winds have been issued across the region.
The conditions have already led to the cancellation of events including Dundee Winterfest’s opening day – with up-to-the-minute details available on our live blog.
Trains cancelled due to Storm Arwen
Rail passengers are among the worst hit by the weather as many services are facing delays or cancellations, including on services through Tayside and Fife.
All trains across Tayside and Fife have been cancelled as of 9pm as the treacherous conditions meant lines across the region were blocked.
Services between Edinburgh and Newcastle, on the east coast main line, have been cancelled for the rest of Friday.
LNER is urging passengers not to travel at all this weekend, and instead defer using its services until early next week.
⛔️ #LNERUpdate Our services from this afternoon until Sunday 28 November will be significantly disrupted due to severe weather forecast across our route. Please DO NOT TRAVEL.
Please follow this thread for further advice. Live updates can be found at https://t.co/v4rnt7NLU8
1/3 pic.twitter.com/xz92HphVUu
— London North Eastern Railway (@LNER) November 26, 2021
ScotRail has lifted ticket restrictions for the rest of Friday so passengers can travel at any time using advance, super off-peak or off-peak tickets, while tickets will also be valid on Saturday.
Network Rail says hundreds of workers will be out during the storm to keep lines open and repair any damage caused.
Alex Hynes, managing director of Scotland’s Railway, said: “Safety of our customers and colleagues has to be our first consideration during severe weather.
“The Met Office has issued a rare red weather warning. We are monitoring the conditions very closely and will have teams in place across the country to react quickly to any damage caused by the weather.
“Where conditions are predicted to be most severe, we are withdrawing a small number of services in the interests of passenger safety until the worst of the storms have passed.”
Travel by road
Bus services across Tayside and Fife have been hit hard by the weather, with Stagecoach suspending all services in the Forfar and Arbroath areas.
In an update just after 6pm, it said it would monitor things as the night progressed.
Service update All Arbroath and Forfar services are going to be suspended due to the weather. We will review the situation as the night progresses. Sorry for any inconvenience this may cause.
— Stagecoach East Scotland (@StagecoachEScot) November 26, 2021
It has also called off a number of other services.
It comes as the likes of the A9 in Perthshire, the A90 south of Dundee and the A92 in Fife are among dozens of roads to have been blocked by fallen trees.
And at 10pm the Tay Road Bridge closed entirely, with gusts of at least 80mph recorded on the crossing.
With #StormArwen expected to bring very strong winds later today, here's a reminder of which wind speeds will result in restrictions on the Forth Road Bridge and Queensferry Crossing. pic.twitter.com/4qOEJQVeuq
— BEAR SE Trunk Roads (@SETrunkRoads) November 26, 2021
Elsewhere the A1 – which is the main road between Scotland and England on the east coast – has closed for a section in East Lothian due to the wind speeds.
A diversion is in place via the adjacent A199, which is a single carriageway.
The AA is urging people to prepare before venturing out in their cars.
Ben Sheridan from the company said: “If you must travel in the worst affected areas, adjust your driving to account for the conditions and leave plenty of space behind other vehicles.
“Allow extra time, as there may be delays and make sure you pack winter essentials in the car such as warm, waterproof layers, a shovel, a torch, fully charged mobile phone and a flask of hot drink.
“Watch out for debris on the road and pay attention when passing high-sided vehicles when you encounter strong winds.”
Earlier, all flights to and from Dundee Airport were cancelled.
‘Do not travel under any circumstances’
John Swinney, Scotland’s deputy first minister, says there is a “risk to life” for people in some parts of the country.
He said: “People in these affected areas should not travel under any circumstances, including motorists.
“Yellow and amber weather warnings also remain in place for a number of areas and people should continue to exercise extreme caution and plan any necessary journeys in advance as there is disruption to transport services.
“The Scottish Government is in close contact with local authorities and the emergency services to ensure people in the affected areas receive the latest information, advice and support where needed.”
