BRITS have been warned they could face long delays on their Easter getaways as rammed airports say it’s the busiest break ever.
The AA revealed more than 18.5million people are anticipated to drive during the four-day long Bank Holiday weekend.
ZenpixQueues at Manchester airport this morning as holidaymakers make their getaway[/caption]
PAThousands of drivers are being warned they could face delays at the Port of Dover[/caption]
LT1MediaCommuters face some early morning queues at Bristol airport during check-in and border control[/caption]
But they will be met by huge traffic jams, crippling engineering works on the trains and vast queues at Britain’s busiest ferry port.
Airport check-in desks are also set to be choc-a-bloc this Easter.
‘Carmageddon’
The RAC warned motorists on Monday that popular routes across Britain could take twice as long as normal this weekend.
The motoring specialists say roads will be packed with drivers as the bank holiday weekend traffic mixes with regular commuters beginning on Thursday.
RAC Breakdown spokesperson Alice Simpson said: “With Easter falling earlier than usual at the start of the school holidays, it could be ‘carmageddon’ for holidaymakers across the UK.
“Anyone who can delay leaving on Thursday March 28 until much later in the evening or set off as early as possible on Good Friday is likely to have a better journey than those who travel during the peak periods of the day.”
Transport analysis company Inrix predicted that the worst congestion on Thursday will be between 2pm and 7pm as people on leisure journeys compete for road space with regular commuters.
The busiest route is expected to be the western section of the M25 between the M23 for Gatwick and the M1 for Hertfordshire.
Journeys on this stretch from 4pm are expected to take over two hours, which is more than twice as long as usual.
National Highways announced it will lift more than 850 miles of roadworks by 6am on Thursday and they will not be put back until April 2.
Airport crowds
Two million British travellers are expected to fly away during the Easter weekend.
Three major UK airports – Bristol, Newcastle and Edinburgh – said this will be their busiest Easter ever.
The highest number of departures at London Gatwick are expected to be on Easter Sunday.
April 7 will be the busiest day for Gatwick with Heathrow expecting its biggest crowds of the year so far.
The most popular destinations for the Easter getaway include Barcelona, Malaga and Rome, while Dubai, Orlando and New York top the long-haul charts.
Gatwick’s head of passenger operations, Nick Williams, said: “Everyone at Gatwick is gearing up for a busy Easter break, we are all looking forward to welcoming passengers as they travel through the airport to reach their destinations.
“We are working hard, alongside our airlines and partners, to ensure a smooth operation for all.
“We are proud to now offer an expansive choice of 220 destinations from 56 airlines.
“These services are vital for offering passengers across London and the South East an excellent choice of holiday locations, or opportunities to visit family and friends further afield.
“With so many people travelling, we remind passengers to prepare in advance and read our advice for coming to the airport.”
Meanwhile Bristol Airport is asking passengers to put chocolate eggs in hand luggage as they may pose a security threat.
No ‘good time’ for rail works
Network Rail is urging train passengers to check their journey details before they travel as some major routes will be closed due to engineering work.
The West Coast Main Line between London Euston and Milton Keynes will be shut for four days from Good Friday.
There will also be disruption in the areas around Glasgow and Huddersfield.
Network Rail’s network strategy director Laurence Bowman said: “There’s never a good time to do the work we need to do but the four days of the bank holiday, when fewer people are travelling, give us the opportunity to do major work we couldn’t do on a normal weekend.”
More delays in Dover
Thousands of holidaymakers are being warned they could face delays at the Port of Dover as they head for an Easter getaway – due to heightened French security checks following the terror attack in Russia.
Security checks at the Port of Dover have been enhanced by French authorities after the mass shooting in a Moscow theatre on Friday which killed at least 137 people.
The Port of Dover said: “France has heightened its border security checks following the attack in Moscow on Friday.
“These measures may increase border processing times at the port.
“Please be mindful of this when travelling to the port and check with your ferry operator for arrival times.”
The Port has also warned coaches to arrive three hours before their scheduled departure time to avoid missing their ferries.
Weather warnings
Heavy rain and strong winds could cause travel chaos and pose a risk to life in the run-up to the Easter weekend, forecasters have said.
The Met Office has issued yellow weather warnings for rain and strong winds over coming days across parts of Northern Ireland and the south of England.
Forecasters have warned that heavy rain could impact travel and infrastructure in the east of Northern Ireland on Wednesday and Thursday, with up to 15mm-20mm of rainfall in some areas.
A yellow warning for strong winds with gusts of up to 70mph was also in place on Thursday for most of the south coast of England, from East Sussex to Cornwall.
For those travelling over the bank holiday weekend, the RAC have advised drivers to “be on their guard” regarding the changing road conditions.
RAC Breakdown spokesman Rod Dennis said: “With plenty of classic early spring weather over the Easter bank holiday weekend, drivers getting away will definitely need to be on their guard and ready to cope with rapidly changing road conditions.
“Slowing down in the heaviest of downpours on Good Friday and Easter Saturday is a must as stopping distances will be far greater.”
LNPHolidaymakers queue for check in at Manchester Airport’s Terminal One[/caption]
LT1MediaBristol Airport is gearing up for its busiest Easter ever with hundreds of thousands of passengers due to pass through the turnstiles[/caption]
Dan Jones ImagesSilva Jones taking a selfie in a snowy Dyfi forest, near Machynlleth, Wales[/caption]
FIVE-DAY FORECAST
TODAY (THURSDAY): High: 12C Overnight low: -4C Wet and windy
GOOD FRIDAY: High: 14C Overnight low: -2C Sunny spells, scattered showers, heaviest in the west
SATURDAY: High: 15C Overnight low: -2C Scattered showers
SUNDAY: High: 16C Overnight low: -1C Drier, brighter, with sunny spells
EASTER MONDAY: High: 15C Overnight low: 1C Outbreaks of rain, some brighter spells possible