HELENSBURGH travellers are facing major disruption in the evening rush hour after Storm Ali’s high winds and heavy rain struck much of Scotland’s central belt.

Trains between Helensburgh and Glasgow have been suspended after high winds blew down overhead power lines at Partick station, while a fallen tree was also reported to be blocking the line at Dumbarton Central.

As this article was published there were no trains at all running via Glasgow Queen Street low level, while all trains to and from Glasgow Queen Street high level were also suspended except for the the Maryhill/Anniesland route.

On the Glasgow Central low level routes, no services were running west of Anderston.

ScotRail said disruption on the routes via Glasgow Queen Street low level station was expected to continue until 8pm.

In Helensburgh itself, fallen trees left roads partly or completely blocked at several locations in and around the town, including Montrose Street, the B818 near Crosskeys and the A814 between Helensburgh and Cardross, where a tree was reported to have struck a van.

At McAuslan Place in Helensburgh, a fallen tree left the West Highland railway line blocked, though the bad weather meant no trains were running on the line south of Crianlarich station.

Local bus operator Wilson’s of Rhu reported delays on the 316 bus route between Helensburgh, Garelochhead and Coulport due to several fallen trees.

On Wednesday morning the firm said the road used by the 316 service was “totally blocked” on the Mill Brae and at the Garelochhead fuel depot, though by the afternoon services were able to run between Helensburgh and Cove Burgh Hall, with further blockages preventing buses getting any further towards Coulport.

First Glasgow said their 1/1A/1B routes between Glasgow, Dumbarton and Balloch or Helensburgh were running, but with delays of up to 45 minutes.

Reports on social media stated that yachts had broken their moorings in the high winds and had run on to the shore at Garelochhead and Kilcreggan, while a cruise ship was forced to drop anchor in the channel between Greenock and Helensburgh after breaking free of a mooring rope at Ocean Terminal.

Storm Ali is expected to ease after the evening rush hour.