DISRUPTION is expected on trains across the region with speed restrictions of 40mph ahead of more rain due to hit tonight.

Network Rail Wessex have announced that the band of heavy rain due to hit railways tonight will impact Great Western Railway, Cross Country Trains and South Western Rail.

Trains are likely to have 40mph speed restrictions in some places.

Areas running with 40mph restrictions include the West of England line west of Salisbury, in the Basingstoke area, much of the Portsmouth via Petersfield line, and between Egham and Reading.

This follows a yellow weather warning for rain across the South Coast of England, which has been issued by the Met Office.

Forecasters are expecting heavy rain from around 4pm today, Wednesday, October 20, lasting until the early hours of the morning at 3am on Thursday, October 21.

The Met Office warns that wet and windy weather is likely to bring some disruption to parts of southern England this evening and overnight.

A Network Rail Wessex spokesperson, said: “every one of our most vulnerable earthworks is already saturated with water and for that reason, we are going to have put restrictions in place progressively from West to East as the day goes on, to protect trains from potential landslides.”

“The impact of the speed restrictions will mean late running will be widespread and affect trains even on lines without problems.”

 “We must emphasise, we will be able to carry everyone home tonight, but we would advise customers to allow extra time for their journeys where-ever they are on the network. It's difficult to estimate the cumulative impact of the speed restrictions, but it will bring disruption.

“We have not taken this step lightly but the increased risk of washouts from saturated land is too high for us to run trains at full speed. Safety is our priority.”