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Avanti West Coast issues do not travel alert for journeys north of Preston amid Storm Gerrit flooding

Posted on - 27th December, 2023 - 1:33pm | Author - | Posted in - Preston News, Preston weather, Transport
Preston Railway Station on December 27
Preston Railway Station on December 27

People intending to head north from Preston have been warned not to travel today amid disruption caused by the weather brought by Storm Gerrit.

Preston, and most of the UK, is subject to multiple weather warnings and the Met Office had warned there was a chance of more disruption than usual to the rail network.

There are currently a small number of services set to head north as of 1.30pm today (December 27) but the vast majority have been outright cancelled at short notice due to the disruption.

Read more: Calls for critical review of Avanti and first class travel ban amid failing services

Avanti West Coast have warned that ticket acceptance is not in place with other operators, which is an option available to the rail network when there is disruption. However, tickets for today can be redeemed on Thursday or Friday instead.

There were hectic scenes at Preston Railway Station with many forced to abandon their journeys due to the cancellations.

Cancellations on the Avanti West Coast website
Cancellations on the Avanti West Coast website from Preston to Glasgow

All lines between Carlisle, in Cumbria, and Lockerbie, in Scotland, were blocked on this morning due to the flooding across all lines.

A spokesperson for Avanti West Coast said: “The Met Office have issued multiple weather warnings for Scotland today, 27 December. As a result of the disruption caused by this, please do not travel north of Preston.

“There is no ticket acceptance in place with other operators due to the severe weather affecting multiple routes.

“Customers with tickets for travel today (27 December) between Preston and Edinburgh/Glasgow can use those on either Thursday 28 or Friday 29 December. Destinations north of Preston include Lancaster, Oxenholme Lake District, Penrith, Carlisle, Lockerbie, Motherwell, Edinburgh and Glasgow.

“If your journey is delayed or cancelled and you abandon your journey as a result, you can claim a full fee-free refund from your point of purchase. If you continued with your journey and were delayed by 15 minutes or more, you can claim Delay Repay compensation.”

A spokesperson for National Rail said: “Flooding between Lockerbie and Carlisle means that all lines are blocked and services are unable between these stations.

Due to the severity of this incident, you are advised not to travel North of Preston as services will be cancelled or revised. Major disruption is expected until the end of the day.”

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