Yellow warning: Major travel disruption as ScotRail cancels services

Commuters are facing major travel disruption as a yellow rain warning is extended across parts of Scotland.

ScotRail announced there will be no direct trains running between the central belt and Aberdeen and Inverness until at least Sunday.

The travel operator warned that with speed restrictions in place services could be delayed or cancelled this weekend.

Shuttle services will run between Inverness and Perth as well as Aberdeen and Dundee.

ScotRail said: “Customers travelling between Edinburgh or Glasgow & Aberdeen/Inverness will need to change at Perth, for travel to Inverness, or Dundee for travel to Aberdeen.”

LNER said there will be extremely limited train services between Edinburgh and Aberdeen from Friday to Monday.

Those travelling are urged to check with their transport provider ahead of time.

The latest Scottish Flood Forecast said “significant flooding impacts” are likely in the north east on Friday and Saturday due to more torrential downpours.

A yellow weather warning for rain covers Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire, Angus, Dundee, and Perth and Kinross – most of which saw prolonged downpours cause problems for residents last week, including flooding.

The warning was originally to run from 12pm on Thursday to 12pm on Saturday, but will now remain in place until 12pm on Sunday.

Seven people are known to have died in the UK during Storm Babet, including three people north of the border. They were Wendy Taylor, 57, of Perthshire; John Gillan, 56, of Arbroath; and Peter Pelling, 61, also of Arbroath.

Brechin in Angus was the worst affected area in north-east Scotland, and hundreds of homes had to be evacuated after the river South Esk breached its banks.

The latest Scottish Flood Forecast update, issued by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency, said significant flooding impacts from rivers and surface water are likely in the north east on Friday and Saturday

There is also a risk of further impacts in areas recovering from recent flooding.

It said: “River levels are not expected to be as high as experienced during Storm Babet but as the rain will be falling onto already wet ground, flooding from surface water runoff may also cause impacts.

“Caithness and Sutherland, Easter Ross and Great Glen and the south west of Scotland may also experience some localised flooding due to persistent and heavy rain.”

Network Rail Scotland warned: “More extremely heavy rain is on the way. It won’t be to the levels from Storm Babet, but it will affect the same areas, already with saturated ground. It will bring a risk of flooding.”

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