Warning for road and rail users about travel disruption

As disruptions on roads and railways can impact weekend services, people in Scotland are advised to plan ahead.

Warning for road and rail users about travel disruption

As disruptions on roads and railways can impact weekend services, people in Scotland are advised to plan ahead.

To avoid road closures, people who travel to Glasgow are urged to plan their route and consider public transport.

TransPennine Express and ScotRail warned however that there were limitations to rail services in certain areas.

Overcrowding on other routes has also been complained by passengers.

Up to 30 road closures will be in effect in Glasgow from 16:00. 42 Orange Order parades will make their way through the city centre to remember the Battle of the Boyne, 1690 between Catholic James II & Protestant William III.

Many thousands of people were expected in Glasgow to participate, while smaller marches took place in other cities.

Parade in Ayr was expected to attract around 3,000 people, with hundreds more in Kilmarnock or Cumbernauld. This caused road closures.

The main parade of County Grand Orange Lodge of Glasgow, from George Square to Glasgow Green, was expected to be the biggest with over 4,000 participants.

This weekend, rail travellers traveling during school summer holidays will experience further disruption due to staff sickness.

ScotRail stated that some services between Glasgow Queen Street, Oban and London had been cancelled due to crew shortages. However, bus alternatives were available.

The operator also issued a warning to anyone attending music events in the south Glasgow, urging them to plan ahead.

ScotRail stated that it would add carriages to trains going from Glasgow Central, Florida to Mount Florida in order for a Calvin Harris concert at Hampden stadium.

It warned, however, that no trains would return to the city center after the concert ended. Similar problems could be faced by people who go to Primal Scream's Screamadelica Live @ Queens Park Recreational Ground.

ScotRail's head of customer operations Phil Campbell stated: "Customers should know that there will not be trains from Mount Florida Kings Park or Queen Park back towards Glasgow after the concerts end. So please make sure you check your entire trip and find out what other transport options are available."

It was also noted that there would be no trains to the main stations of Glasgow after 23:00. This means that only services to East Kilbride and Gourock from Central Station and Stirling and Edinburgh via Queen Street will be available.

Overcrowding was a complaint from northern travelers on Saturday.

Three-caravan train passengers on the Inverness to Edinburgh route were seated in aisles and doorways. ScotRail responded to social media messages about crowded services between Aberdeen & Inverness, saying that "all carriages are available to us".

TransPennine Express, which is an operator in northern England and Scotland said that staff sickness would result in reduced services over the weekend.

TPE advised passengers to avoid unnecessary travel and admitted that it was frustrating for those who were travelling.

TPE stated that the most recent problems would result in reduced services on Saturday and Sunday.

A spokesperson said that they were sorry for the disruption to plans and acknowledged that this was disappointing news for customers.

Customers were advised to travel only if absolutely necessary. The company also stated that bikes would be prohibited from all services in order to make room.

This latest disruption comes after a turbulent period in Scotland's railways.

Services have been disrupted by action of the RMT and Aslef unions regarding pay and conditions.

ScotRail implemented a temporary schedule in May to cut 700 daily services, after drivers refused work on rest days.

After agreeing to a 5% pay rise for their members and a five-year freeze on compulsory redundancies, both the RMT as Aslef have now agreed not to engage in industrial action.

Last month, ScotRail had to cancel 90% of its trains due to three days of strike action by RMT union members in a dispute with Network Rail.

As part of a dispute about job cuts, pay, and conditions, thousands of RMT members who work for Network Rail, 13 train companies, and other rail companies, walked out last week on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday.

The strike closed half of the rail network, and the knock-on effect meant that services were disrupted the next day.

The union warned that more strikes could be coming.