Fife Weather: ScotRail cancels services ahead of Beast From The East

Some services between Edinburgh and Dunblane have been cancelled. Picture: Lisa Ferguson

Today’s yellow warning will tonight turn into an amber one, which stretches into Thursday and looks set to bring heavy and prolonged snow showers across the Kingdom.

ScotRail’s warning comes after Scottish Transport Minister Humza Yousaf said that amber warnings could be upgraded to red in some areas over Wednesday and Thursday.

Cancelled services include departures at 20 minutes past the hour from Glenrothes to Edinburgh Waverley via Aberdour.

This means the services at 28 minutes past from Kirkcaldy, 33 minutes past from Kinghorn, 38 minutes past from Burntisland, 42 minutes past from Aberdour, 47 minutes past from Dalgety Bay, 51 minutes past from Inverkeithing will now not run.

Coming back from Edinburgh, all departures at 8 minutes past the hour from Edinburgh Waverley to Glenrothes are also cancelled.

Also cancelled is the Kirkcaldy to Glasgow Queen Street service at 7.13am.

Despite the cancelations, ScotRail insisted it would “keep people moving”.

Mark Ilderton, Head of Integrated Control at the ScotRail Alliance, said: “ScotRail Alliance teams across the country will be working flat out to keep people moving over the next few days.

“From snow ploughs travelling the network to staff gritting station platforms to keep them safe, we’ll be doing everything we can to get people where they need to be.

“The safety of our staff and customers is our priority, and is central to every decision we take.

“The vast majority of our services will run, but following the latest advice from the Met Office we have had to cancel or amend some services on Wednesday and Thursday.

“Journeys will also take a bit longer as speed restrictions will be in place.

“We are advising all customers to check @ScotRail on Twitter, download our app, or visit journeycheck.com/scotrail for the most up to date information before travelling.”

For full details on cancelled services, go to www.scotrail.co.uk/snow.

Mr Yousaf told BBC Radio Scotland: “There is a possibility that the amber warning could be in some areas upgraded to a red.

“That is a warning for snow that we have never seen since the modern system has come into place in Scotland, that’s what the Met Office tell me.

“We are right on the cusp, we are at the strongest possible amber warning, and right on the cusp of potentially becoming a red.

“That means a high likelihood of a high impact so that could be not just treacherous but frankly dangerous if you travel.

“The weather warning for Scotland could be upgraded to the highest possible level.

“The intensity of the snow we are going to see is going to be more treacherous than anything we have seen in a number of years.”

Met Office guidance for red warnings states: “Extreme weather is expected. Red means you should take action now to keep yourself and others safe from the impact of the weather.

“Widespread damage, travel and power disruption and risk to life is likely.

“You must avoid dangerous areas and follow the advice of the emergency services and local authorities.”