Storm Claudia: Passengers in the North West urged to plan ahead

Friday 14 Nov 2025

Storm Claudia: Passengers in the North West urged to plan ahead

Region & Route:: North West & Central

Rail passengers in the North West have been urged to plan their journeys with Storm Claudia causing significant disruption around the region.

The Met Office has issued a yellow wind warning across much of the North West and forecasters have warned that gusts could reach between 50-60mph.

This follows several days of heavy rain and the wet weather is expected to continue throughout the day.

Speed restrictions for train movements will be in place from 1500 today until the start of service on Saturday as a precautionary measure and the extreme conditions are expected to cause some service disruption.

Network Rail teams are working to limit disruption by checking known problem areas, preparing pump systems and clearing culverts.

Extra chainsaw teams are on standby to deal with trees which could be brought down as a result of high winds.

Phil James, North West route director for Network Rail, said:

"Passengers should check their journeys in advance today to avoid the disruption caused by Storm Claudia.

"We are working with our train operator partners to ensure passengers can travel safely and limit the disruption as much as possible."

For up-to-date travel information and detail on alternative travel please check www.nationalrail.co.uk.

Notes to Editors

A 50mph blanket speed restriction will also be in place on the Merseyrail network between 3pm and first service on Saturday morning
The first Merseyrail service on each line on Saturday morning will be replaced by empty coaching stock to check for any potential obstacles that may have appeared overnight
On TransPennine Express services across the whole network will be affected and will run to an amended timetable from 1pm. For assistance with your journey, you can follow TPE on X @TPEassist or message on WhatsApp at 07812 223 336 .
On Northern services a full list of current disruption can be found here: https://www.northernrailway.co.uk/travel/travel-disruption
Avanti services will be operating a reduced timetable which includes:

One train per hour Preston to Scotland
One train per hour Preston to Euston
One train per hour Birmingham to Euston
One train per hour Euston to Liverpool
Two trains per hour Euston to Manchester - one via Stoke-on-Trent, one via Crewe
Euston to Holyhead to run as usual

Ticket acceptance is in place with some operators but please note that these operators may also be affected by Storm Claudia and may have busy services.

Contact information

Passengers / community members
Network Rail national helpline
03457 11 41 41

Latest travel advice
Please visit National Rail Enquiries

Journalists
Network Rail press office - North West & Central Region
0330 854 0100
NWCmediarelations@networkrail.co.uk

About Network Rail

We own, operate and develop Britain's railway infrastructure; that's 20,000 miles of track, 30,000 bridges, tunnels and viaducts and the thousands of signals, level crossings and stations. We run 20 of the UK's largest stations while all the others, over 2,500, are run by the country's train operating companies.

Usually, there are almost five million journeys made in the UK and over 600 freight trains run on the network. People depend on Britain's railway for their daily commute, to visit friends and loved ones and to get them home safe every day. Our role is to deliver a safe and reliable railway, so we carefully manage and deliver thousands of projects every year that form part of the multi-billion pound Railway Upgrade Plan, to grow and expand the nation's railway network to respond to the tremendous growth and demand the railway has experienced - a doubling of passenger journeys over the past 20 years.

Media centre