Waterloo rail firm halts trains until at least 6pm with 30 trees on the line – and urges passengers to stay at home

South Western rail have halted trains heading out of Waterloo amid Storm Eunice.

The operator, which runs 1,500 services from central London to Reading, Portsmouth, Weymouth and Exeter, has told passengers they will have to wait until the worst of the 90mph winds have passed.

In a joint statement, South Western Railway and Network Rail said: “Gusts of more than 90mph wind have caused multiple incidents across the SWR network today, with 30 fallen trees already blocking key routes.

“As a result, SWR services have been suspended until at least 6pm and we strongly urge customers not to travel at this time. We are working hard to restore services, but ask customers to make alternative travel plans if they can.

“Customers should regularly check the ‘Plan my journey’ page on SWR’s website, which will be updated with the latest information every hour.

“We would like to apologise to our customers for the impact this will have on their journeys, but – as always – our primary concern is the safety and welfare of customers and colleagues out on the network”.