Road and rail 'do not travel' warnings issued with Storm Éowyn set to bring gales of up to 80mph to Northumberland

The arrival of Storm Éowyn is expected to cause widespread travel disruption on Friday, January 24.

The Met Office has issued multiple weather warnings, including an amber warning which covers the period from 6am to 9pm.

National Highways have issued an amber severe weather alert for gales in the North West, North East and Yorkshire regions from 7am until 10pm.

It says winds will quickly increase through the morning to widely gusting 60-70 mph and for a time around the middle of the day 70-80 mph for much of Cumbria, Durham and Northumberland with isolated gusts of 90 mph possible for the peak of the A66 Pennine route and coastal routes including the A590 and A595.

Winds will very slowly moderate from the west from mid-afternoon.

There is a particularly high risk that high-sided vehicles and other 'vulnerable' vehicles such as caravans and motorbikes could be blown over.

LNER has advised there will no trains operating north of Newcastle in either direction from 11am on Friday. Currently, trains are still showing in Journey Planners as LNER works to amend its timetable.

Services north of York will also be subject to short-notice cancellation and significant delay. Alternative travel options will be limited due to the nature of the weather.

The operator is advising customers not to travel to and from stations north of York on Friday 24 January 2025.

Customers can find the latest information and alternative travel options, which will be regularly updated, on LNER’s website: https://www.lner.co.uk/travel-information/travelling-now/travel-alerts/

TransPennine Express (TPE) is urging customers not to travel between Manchester/Liverpool and Glasgow/Edinburgh, or on services between York, Newcastle, and Edinburgh, on Friday.

Andrew McClements, Customer Experience & Transformation Director, said: "Our top priority is the safety of our customers and colleagues. We will do everything possible to keep people moving under difficult conditions, however due to the weather warnings in place for this Friday, we are having to issue advice not to travel on two of our routes.

“We urge anyone travelling on the affected routes to reconsider their plans and to follow the guidance provided."

Customers should check the TPE website at tpexpress.co.uk/travel-updates or visit nationalrail.co.uk for the latest updates.

The Met Office says: “Storm Éowyn will move across the northwest of the UK on Friday, clearing to the northeast on Friday night.

"This will bring a spell of very strong west to southwesterly winds, with peak gusts of 60-70 mph fairly widely inland, 70-80 mph in some areas, and 80-90 mph along more exposed coasts and hills (perhaps even higher in a few locations).

"It should be noted that there may be a slight reduction in wind strength for a time as the centre of Storm Éowyn passes overhead, this most likely in parts of Northern Ireland and western Scotland, before winds rapidly increase again. Winds will gradually ease later on Friday.”