A “MAJOR incident” has been declared after a train derailed on a major UK railway line – sparking cancellations and travel chaos for commuters.
Emergency crews were scrambled after the train came off the tracks near Shap, Cumbria, this morning.
Rail services face delays of up to two hours following the derailment, which occurred between Penrith and Oxenholme just after 6am.
The North West Ambulance Service (NWAS) confirmed paramedics had been sent to the West Coast Main Line near the village.
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Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said a major incident had been declared but “there are no reported injuries”.
She told LBC Radio: “I have been informed of this incident within the last half an hour or so.
“I know that a major incident has been stood up. There are no reported injuries.
“We will work swiftly to make sure that people can get off the train safely.
“I will be remaining in constant touch with the train operating company and the railway accident investigation branch.”
NWAS said it was working alongside other emergency crews to assist people “as quickly as possible”.
The service added: “We are currently assessing the situation and working with other members of the emergency services.
“Our priority is to ensure people receive the medical help they need as quickly as possible.”
National Rail explained the incident is affecting trains running between Carlisle and Preston.
In a post on X, it said: “A derailed train between Penrith and Oxenholme means all lines are blocked.
“Trains running between Carlisle and Preston may be delayed by up to 120 minutes or cancelled.”
Avanti West Coast confirmed the London-bound train, which had been travelling from Glasgow, derailed at 6.10am.
A spokesperson for the train firm said: “Our priority is the wellbeing of everyone who was board and getting them safely off the train.
“We are assisting emergency services who are on the scene.
“As a result, all lines are blocked north of Preston. Please do not attempt to travel north of Preston today.
“We’ll provide further information in due course, but it is likely there will be significant disruption to our network for a number of days.”
