‘Hundreds’ of people heading to the COP26 in Glasgow have been forced to book last minute flights instead after severe weather caused most trains out of Euston to be cancelled.
A large number of travellers were heading to the global climate conference but have had to fly instead.
The environmental impact of flying is far greater than going by train, an ironic point not lost on many of those affected.
Travelling from London to Glasgow by train produces about 20kgs of carbon emissions, whereas flying produces 137kg.
Pictures on social media showed Euston packed with people, many of whom were hoping to travel north for the climate conference which began on Sunday.
David Johnson was left sitting on his train from London Euston to Glasgow for more than half an hour on Sunday morning before eventually being told to get off along with his fellow passengers.
Mr Johnson is attending COP26 as chief executive of the Margaret Pyke Trust, a UK-based international NGO focused on removing barriers to family planning as part of climate adaptation efforts.
Needing to reach the conference, Mr Johnson decided to book a flight from Gatwick to Glasgow which, he said, “does, of course, seem ridiculous”.
“The irony of the climate impacting the trains, meaning a flight to the climate change conference is the only way to get there today, is not lost on me,” he told the PA news agency.
The disruption came as a result of damage to overhead electrical wires between Rugby and Milton Keynes on the West Coast Main Line.
Network Rail said its teams are on-site near Long Buckby in Northamptonshire, where the damage occurred.
The company said it is working to remove the fallen tree before assessing the damage and beginning repairs.
Travellers are advised not to go to Euston and instead check for regular updates.
