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Track closure disrupts thousands of Eurostar passengers

Track closure disrupts thousands of Eurostar passengers

Independent3 hours ago
Thousands of Eurostar passengers are suffering disruption to journeys because of a track closure in France.
The operator's websites shows nine services between London and Paris have been cancelled, and a further 12 are delayed.
Passengers are being advised to postpone their travel to a later date.
The track closure was caused by a power failure on the high-speed line between Moussy and Longueil in northern France.
The problem began at around 8.30am local time on Monday.
Disruption is expected to last for the rest of the day.
Trains are being diverted to run on slower lines.
In addition to the London-Paris route, Eurostar services between Amsterdam / Brussels and Paris are also affected.
The impact of the disruption is heightened as August is a peak period for cross-Channel travel because of school holidays.
A Eurostar spokeswoman said: 'We advise passengers on these routes to postpone their journey if possible.
'They can exchange their ticket free of charge or request a full refund.
'Extra staff have been deployed in the stations to assist passengers.
'Trains between London-Amsterdam, Brussels-Amsterdam, Brussels-London and Brussels-Cologne are not impacted.
'Eurostar thanks its customers for their understanding and we continue to do everything possible to assist our passengers to the best of our ability.'
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Edinburgh to Fife/Perth/Dundee; Perth to Dundee/Aberdeen/Inverness and the West Highland Line are among the routes that were closed at noon on Monday. Network Rail has reported a number of storm-related incidents, including trees falling onto overhead lines at King's Park in Glasgow, Cornton near Stirling and near Paisley, and damage to overhead wires in the Hamilton Circle area. LNER has warned passengers not to travel north of Newcastle while Avanti West Coast has advised passengers not to travel north of Preston, as it warned it will be 'heavily impacted' by the weather. Meanwhile, ScotRail has urged people to secure all outdoor equipment such as trampolines. Posting on social media, the rail operator said: 'We're asking anyone with garden equipment, such as tents, trampolines or furniture, to secure items so that they don't blow onto the tracks and interfere with lineside equipment.' The Kusz family are among those contending with delays and cancellations on the railway, as they attempt to return home to Blackpool with 11 pieces of luggage following a family holiday in Ayr. They are currently at Glasgow Central station where they said there had been 'about nine cancellations'. Paul Audoire, 59, told the PA news agency: 'The weather is not as bad as we thought, they are just taking precautions. 'We need to get off at Carlisle, wait for another train, get off at Preston and change trains again. 'I don't know how long we need to wait at Carlisle or at Preston. It's just a case of leapfrogging all the way.' Ferries have also seen widespread disruption, with ferry operator CalMac cancelling a number of sailings on Monday as a result of high winds. Festivals in the Edinburgh area have also been disrupted, with the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo, a ceilidh event on Princes Street Gardens and the Fringe by the Sea in North Berwick all cancelled on Monday as a result of the expected high winds. Earlier Scottish Government ministers said it was 'imperative' that people follow advice as Storm Floris hits the country. In a post on X, First Minister John Swinney appealed to the public to 'please stay safe', adding that said weather conditions will be 'very difficult' on Monday with disruption to some services. Speaking on the BBC's Good Morning Scotland news programme Justice Secretary Angela Constance said: 'Storm Floris is well and truly with us today and it's imperative that people follow advice because there will be significant disruption on our travel network.' Ms Constance said the Government's resilience room had been activated to give authorities a clear picture of the situation around the country. The minister added: 'If you have an elderly relative or neighbour who may be a wee bit vulnerable, please be a good neighbour, be friendly, just check they're alright. She said anyone who has to travel is likely to face disruption and should plan ahead, adding: 'Consider this a winter journey as opposed to a summer journey. 'Please make sure you've got warm clothes, food, water, plenty of fuel and that your mobile phone is charged up. ' A yellow warning for other parts of Scotland is in place from 6am until midnight. Forecasters have warned people who are outdoors to avoid walking or seeking shelter near buildings or trees, and said that loose items including bins and garden furniture could blow away unless secured. The Met Office said there was the potential for power cuts in some areas as well as disruption to mobile phone coverage. Storm Floris is the sixth named storm of the 2024-25 naming season, which runs from early September to late August. January's Storm Eowyn was the most recent.

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