Rail services in Lancashire and Cumbria suspended due to flooding

Rail services between Lancashire, Cumbria and Scotland on the West Coast Main Line have been suspended due to flooding.

Network Rail engineers are working as fast as possible to make the route safe for passengers.

No trains are able to run in either direction on the West Coast Main Line north of Preston. There is also disruption to services on the Cumbrian coast. Trains are being diverted where possible, but delays and cancellations are expected. Disruption is expected for the rest of the day (23 May 2024).

Kara Wood, Network Rail’s acting North West route strategy director, said: “We’re sorry to passengers affected by the flooding. We have specialist repair teams on site working as fast as they can to make the railway safe. However, the conditions are making safe access and working conditions for responding staff more difficult than usual.

“Disruption is expected for the rest of the day and into the weekend so we’re urging people to plan their journeys and check before they travel with their train operator or National Rail Enquiries.”

Work will take place throughout the day to reopen the line as soon as possible.

Network Rail is investing £2 million in brand new drainage systems in Carlisle and Shap, Cumbria, to protect the railway from flooding for years to come. The work aims to make the railway more robust and reliable for passengers, as Cumbria faces more extreme weather conditions due to climate change.