Urgent 'do not travel' warning issued as Storm Éowyn to bring 'danger to life' gale-force winds

An urgent 'do not travel' warning has been issued by train operators ahead of strong gale-force winds expected to hit much of the UK on Friday (January 24).

TransPennine Express (TPE) is urging customers not to travel between Manchester and Liverpool, Glasgow and Edinburgh, or on services between York, Newcastle, and Edinburgh, due to the expected winds from Storm Éowyn.

With an amber weather warning in place, any services that are able to run are expected to be affected by delays and short notice cancellations.

A 'danger to life' warning has been issued by the Met Office over the possible 90mph winds on Friday, which are expected to hit the north of England, north Wales, and parts of Scotland, bringing 'widespread disruption'.

According to the Met Office, the strong winds may cause power cuts, damage to buildings, disruption to transport and a 'danger to life' from flying debris. Winds could exceed 90mph in the worst affected areas, likely to be around the coast.

Rail operator TransPennine Express has issued the 'do not travel' warning, with forecasters predicting the strong winds will affect road, rail, ferry and air transport services.

Football fans planning to travel to the Manchester United vs. Rangers game on Thursday (January 23) are also advised that services to/from Scotland will be severely impacted on Friday. Fans are encouraged to postpone their journeys or defer return travel until Saturday (January 25).

Customers with tickets across the affected routes can either defer their journey or use tickets for travel between January 23 to January 27 inclusive.

For all other routes across the network, customers are urged to check travel updates in advance and be prepared for major disruptions, including possible