Storm Floris:  Fife trains cancelled, major festival postponed amid Amber Alert weather warning

The Met Office has issued an amber warning for high winds which is in place between 10:00am and 10:00pm, for a large part of mainland Scotland and the Western Isles. Potentially 'exceptional' weather for this time of year with gusts of up to 70mph inland and 80mph around some coastlines could hit parts of the country. The Multi-Agency Response Team will stand up for the duration of the weather warnings and monitor conditions from the Traffic Scotland National Control Centre in South Queensferry.

ScotRail has confirmed all train services will stop from midday - and no bus replacement services will be provided. The mass cancellations come across several parts of the country ahead of Storm Floris landing.

One of the first events in Fife to be hit was Pittenweem Arts Festival which said it would be closed on Monday “for everyone’s safety.”

Storm Floris - the sixth named storm of the 2024/2025 season - is expected to bring unseasonably strong winds of up to 90mph and heavy rain over 24 hour,

Scotrail said these winds could bring down trees and blow other debris onto the tracks. The unseasonal nature of the strong winds poses a higher risk, with trees in full leaf being more susceptible to wind damage.

Among the lines which will close from midday are Edinburgh – Fife/Perth/Dundee. Also affected are Perth to Dundee/Aberdeen/Inverness. Heavy rain will also increase the risks to the railway’s infrastructure and can cause landslips and flooding.

Once the storm has passed, engineers will need to inspect the closed lines for any damage, with passengers being advised that services will start later on Tuesday across affected routes. Network Rail Scotland’s helicopter will assist teams on the ground to complete essential checks across the network as quickly as possible.

Passengers should check their journey before travelling with National Rail Enquiries or their train operator.

Ross Moran, Network Rail Scotland route director, said: “With the severity of Storm Floris becoming clear, our priority is the safety of our passengers and colleagues. That is why we’ve taken the decision to close some parts of Scotland’s Railway early on Monday as the worst of the conditions hit the country.

“Our engineers will also need to thoroughly inspect the network for any damage before we reopen the lines and restart train services on Tuesday morning.

“Weather specialists, based in our control room, will monitor conditions closely throughout the storm, and our teams on the ground will be ready to deal with any issues caused by the weather as quickly as possible. We appreciate passengers’ patience while we get through this unprecedented summer storm.”

Mark Ilderton, ScotRail Service Delivery Director, said: “The Met Office amber weather warnings for very high winds across the country will impact rail services on Monday. We recognise the impact that the withdrawal and alteration of train services will have on customers, but our first priority is always to ensure the safety of staff and passengers – and this is a necessary step to ensure everyone’s safety.

“We will update our website, mobile app, and social media feeds with the latest travel advice, and customers should check their journey before travelling.”

Pittenweem Arts Festival announced it would not go ahead on Monday, returning on Tuesday for the rest of its week-long run. The festival draws huge numbers to the East Neuk village with artists displaying their work at numerous venues, but with travel disrupted, the organisers decided to pause for 24 hours.

In a statement, they said: “We are sorry for the disruption and thank you for your understanding. The good news is we will be open again on Tuesday and our artist, makers and performers would love to see you.”