Heavy wind and rain has caused commuter chaos this morning as Storm Ashley battered Scotland overnight.
Roads have been closed and railway lines are affected following gusts of up to 80mph on Sunday evening. Ferries and plane journeys were called off following the season’s first storm.
In the west, trees and debris crashed into a section of the West Highland Line overnight. Crews from Network Rail confirmed they had been working to resolve the issue between Mallaig and Oban.
A statement on Twitter reads: “Our response teams are patrolling the Mallaig and Oban branches of the West Highland Line overnight following Storm Ashley, using road-rail vehicles. They’ve cleared several small trees and branches so far to keep the railway open.”
Elsewhere, roads remain closed due to trees being blown into carriageways. A section of the A95 in Moray remains closed at Ballindalloch with a diversion in place as crews deal with the ongoing issue.
The Tay Road Bridge remains shut for some vehicles due to high gusts with only cars and single-decker buses allowed to make the crossing. The central walkway along the bridge is also closed to pedestrians.
Motorists in the Highlands have been urged to take “extreme care” this morning as debris continues to be swept across the region.
A statement from Highland Council reads: “Drivers should take extreme care this morning- windblown debris is affecting many roads and sea-blown debris affecting coastal roads, particularly in the west. Roads operatives are working to clear roads this morning.”
CalMac was forced to abort berthing at the Isle of Coll this morning due to severe conditions. The ferry provider is currently running restricted services between Mallaig, Eigg and Rum.
Most sailings were axed on Sunday due to the treacherous sea conditions. Flights between Dublin, Belfast and Glasgow Airport were also axed yesterday as winds gripped the country.
In addition, the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) currently has 28 flood warnings and two flood alerts in place, covering large parts of the country. Meteorologists say Storm Ashley saw a rapid drop of pressure as it moved in from the Atlantic over the weekend – a phenomenon called a “weather bomb”.
Met Office Deputy Chief Meteorologist Tony Wisson, said: “Storm Ashley will bring strong winds for most of the UK on Sunday before it clears on Monday, with a chance of some disruption across parts of Scotland, Northern Ireland, Northwest England and West Wales. A period of especially strong winds is expected on Sunday afternoon and evening in western Scotland, where gusts could potentially reach 70-80mph in exposed areas, and an Amber warning for winds has been issued here.
“More generally, 50-60 mph are possible in some inland areas in other parts of the warning area, especially Northern Ireland and western Scotland, and perhaps up to 60-70 mph along exposed coasts and hills. These strong winds and high spring tides may cause some disruption.”
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