THERE is set to be disruption to services across the Great Western Railway (GWR) network as the railway wakes up to see what the aftermath of Storm Austen is.

Trains are set to be disrupted until at least 1pm today (Friday, October 23), it has been confirmed.

Among the disruption is the termination at Plymouth of all long distance services from London Paddington with all trains from Penzance to Plymouth being operated as a shuttle service.

There is also the possibility of some services being cancelled so that teams can assess storm damage in full daylight with those trains that do run expected to be busier than usual.

A spokesperson for GWR said: “We are asking customers travelling in Devon and Cornwall on Friday to check before they travel by visiting www.gwr.com/check

“We will also be amending services to keep customers and colleagues safe. Strong winds increase the risk of trees and other debris falling onto the railway, so lower speed limits will be in place across routes in Devon and Cornwall from the start of service until 1pm on Friday.

“ This means fewer trains will run, with the following changes planned:

  • Long-distance services will run between London Paddington and Plymouth only, with local shuttle services operating between Plymouth and Penzance.
  • Some early-morning services will be cancelled so that teams can assess any storm damage in full daylight.
  • Trains that do run are expected to be busier, and some journeys will take longer than usual.
  • Other services in the region may also change as we respond to conditions and work to minimise the impact of the storm.

“Full details of the amended timetable will be available at www.gwr.com/check and we are sorry for the impact this will have on travel plans.

“We will continue to update customers as conditions change. Further travel information is also available through our live network updates page.”