Drivers are being warned to expect long delays as 14 million Easter getaway trips are expected, with Thursday afternoon forecast to be the busiest. The RAC and Inrix predict journeys on popular routes could take twice as long, with the M25 between the M23 for Gatwick and the M1 in Hertfordshire expected to take over two hours.
Rail passengers are advised to plan ahead due to engineering works. London Euston station will be closed from Good Friday to Easter Monday, except for London Overground trains, as Network Rail works on the West Coast Main Line. Replacement buses will run on affected stretches.
Airports and airlines are preparing for numbers exceeding pre-pandemic levels. Manchester Airport expects 320,000 passengers this weekend, up 8% on last year, while Easyjet predicts its busiest ever Easter weekend. However, Ryanair has warned of potential disruption due to high winds affecting flights from London.
Strong winds are forecast for southern England, forcing some tourist attractions to close. Elsewhere, spells of dry weather are expected but clouds and downpours are likely, with snow already reported in Devon.
At the Port of Dover, around 20,000 cars are expected between Thursday and Easter Sunday, with wait times for coaches potentially reaching 2.5 hours due to enhanced border checks following the Moscow concert hall attack. The Operation Brock traffic system is in place on the M20.
