Rail commuters advised not to travel across Yorkshire today as Storm Eunice hits UK

Additional, trained workers have been deployed at key locations across the region to respond to issues quickly, as strong winds and heavy rain are expected to cause widespread disruption for the railway.

A spokesman said: “Fallen trees and other debris can blow onto the line, with the potential to damage train-powering electric wiring or block the track.

“As the Met Office has issued a rare Red Weather Warning, trains will need to run at lower speeds to be safe - and services will be significantly reduced.”

Matt Rice, North and East Route Director for Network Rail, said: “Running a railway through extreme weather is always a challenge.

“We have extra workers out on the network at key locations, ready to react quickly to Storm Eunice and repair the railway wherever it’s safe to do so. As the weather worsens I’d advise passengers to avoid travelling on Friday and, wherever possible, try to replan your journey when conditions improve.”