Motorists have been warned of huge traffic delays as millions people are set to hit the road this bank holiday weekend
(AFP/Getty)
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Britons hoping to get away for the Easter bank holiday weekend have had their plans dashed as Storm Nelson leaves planes unable to land and trains cancelled.
The Spanish-named storm is expected to bring 70mph winds to some coastal areas of the UK as the country gears up for a wet long weekend.
Great Western Railway closed multiple lines on Thursday due to flooding. All lines between Westbury and Swindon were closed due to the disruption and the main line from Paddington to Bristol Temple Meads was also closed.
People looking to fly to their destinations this weekend have also faced disruption as some planes have struggled to land amid the strong winds.
Two million holidaymakers are set to take flight over the weekend, with one airport bracing for “record-breaking” passenger numbers.
Dramatic footage showed an easyJet flight wobble on the runway before aborting a landing at Gatwick Airport at around 12:30pm. It landed ten minutes later successfully.
For motorists, the RAC warned that journeys on the road could take up to twice as long as usual this weekend as 14 million people are expected to set off.
UK airport expects record weekend as Easter egg warning issued
Turkey, Dubai and the Canary Islands are among the most popular destinations amid wet and windy weather forecast for the UK, although trips to Dublin are also in demand.
Travel trade organisation Abta said airports are reporting “strong numbers”, with 175,000 due to leave from Stansted, 105,000 from Luton, 160,000 from Manchester, 79,000 from Birmingham, and 89,000 from Edinburgh between Friday and Monday.
Maryam Zakir-Hussain29 March 2024 03:30
Warning over Easter ‘carmageddon’ traffic chaos – which day will see the worst traffic?
Drivers are being warned of chaos on roads over the Easter weekend, with as many as 18.5 million car trips planned at the start of school holidays.
Those setting out on their journeys are likely to encounter delays from Thursday 28 March, when children break up at the end of term, into Good Friday, with one specialist warning that it could be “carmageddon” for those making their getaways.
The overall travel picture should not be as bad as in 2023, when the Easter weekend…
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