Rail passengers hoping to travel over the August bank holiday weekend face a host of problems from strikes and engineering works, while some intercity rail journeys will take much longer or prove impossible.
Road and air travellers seeking to make the most of the final bank holiday before Christmas also face congestion. The RAC warns that Friday and Saturday will see the highest amount of getaway traffic on the roads, while research by The Independent shows some major UK airports will have their busiest days of the summer over the long weekend.
Problems for airline passengers could be intensified by air-traffic control staff shortages across Europe – and the continuing Air Canada shutdown.
These are the key bank holiday travel problems.
Rail
Intercity train passengers face multiple problems trying to get around Britain, due to combination of strikes and pre-planned Network Rail engineering work. Dry conditions are also reducing speeds and services on South Western Railway between London and Exeter, and on the C2C line from the capital to south Essex.
CrossCountry services will range from few to zero. Rail passengers on the flagship East Coast Main Line to and from London King’s Cross will need to find alternative routes, as will travellers through the West Midlands east of Birmingham.
The coach operator National Express has laid on 9,000 extra seats in response to the disruption, and says passenger numbers are up 20 per cent on a year ago.
The worst-affected rail services:
CrossCountry
The intercity operator connecting England, Wales and Scotland through its hub in Birmingham will run no trains on Saturday 23 August due to a strike by members of the RMT union. “You are strongly advised not to travel, or to travel either side of the bank holiday weekend,” says National Rail.
Although CrossCountry staff are not striking on Sunday, many cancellations are expected.
On bank holiday Monday, “a very limited CrossCountry service will operate between 6am and 6pm only”. No CrossCountry trains will run between Birmingham New Street, Reading and the south coast, or on the link from Leicester via Cambridge to Stansted airport. “There will only be a very limited service to the south west and north of York,” passengers are warned. “Trains that do run are expected to be busy.”
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