Holidaymakers have been warned of widespread disruption this Easter weekend when millions of people will be travelling by road, train, ferry and plane.
Traffic is expected to peak on Sunday with about 18.5 million drivers on the road and 14 million leisure journeys by car being made over the weekend.
Are there motorway closures?
National Highways will lift 850 miles of roadworks from 6am on Thursday until Tuesday, April 2. However, there are planned closures on some slip roads on the M2 westbound, M20 eastbound and M67 eastbound.
Andy Butterfield, customer services director at National Highways, said: “We are doing what we can to make journeys easier by removing miles of roadworks, but I would encourage everyone to take some time, plan ahead and ensure your vehicle is prepared for what might be a long journey.”
Are there A-road closures?
There will be road closures on certain stretches of the A1, A12, A249, A30, A38, A45, A46, A47, A52 and A63. Drivers are advised to check the National Highways website for details about specific closures.
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How bad will traffic be?
Good Friday could involve some of the worst delays with an estimated 2.6 million drivers likely to be affected, according to data collated by RAC and Inrix, the transport analysts.
Roads with peak congestion will be the M25 for travel to Gatwick, the M5 for travel between Bristol and Taunton, the M3 for the South Coast, the A590 and A591 for the Lake District and the A303 between Ilminster and Andover.
Alice Simpson, RAC breakdown spokeswoman, said: “With Easter falling earlier than usual at the start of the school holidays, it could be ‘carmageddon’ for holidaymakers.
“Anyone who can delay leaving on Thursday, 28 March 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.”
Will there be planned engineering works on rail services?
Several key routes will be disrupted due to planned engineering works including the west coast main line between Euston and Milton Keynes, which will close for four days while new tracks are laid near Kensal Green tunnel in north London.
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Additional work is planned in Glasgow and on the trans-Pennine route to Huddersfield. Holidaymakers are advised to check updated journey details before travelling.
Lawrence Bowman, Network Rail’s strategy director, 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. That’s projects such as renewing major junctions or relaying many miles of track.”
Greater Anglia services from London Liverpool Street to Colchester, Ipswich and Norwich will be interrupted along with the line to Southend Victoria.
Will there be queues and delays at Dover?
The port of Dover has warned of longer processing times after French authorities enhanced security checks following the terrorist attack at a Moscow theatre on Friday, which killed at least 137 people.
The port 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.”
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About 20,000 cars are expected to travel through the port over the weekend and coaches are advised to arrive three hours before their scheduled departure time.
Last Easter, travellers waited up to 20 hours to cross the Channel because post-Brexit passport checks lengthened delays.
What do I need to know before flying?
Gatwick expects the highest number of departures on Easter Sunday, while Manchester airport is preparing for 320,000 passengers across the weekend.
Nick Williams, head of passenger operations at Gatwick, said: “We are working hard, alongside our airlines and partners, to ensure a smooth operation for all.”
Will there be any strikes?
There are no strikes planned over the Easter weekend with rail, ferry and airport staff working as usual.
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A series of one-day strikes by members of the Aslef union will affect rail services on April 5, 6 and 8 with an overtime ban from April 4 to 6 and 8 to 9 causing further disruption.
London Tube drivers have announced strikes for April 8 and May 4 and UK Border Force workers have voted to strike but no date has been set.
Is the London Underground running as normal?
Most public transport in London is expected to run as normal over the bank holiday except for a part closure on the Elizabeth line and some Overground lines.
Glynn Barton, Transport for London’s chief operating officer, said: “The majority of our network will be running over the Easter weekend to help everyone make the most of the city.
“However, there will be some closures to allow for essential safety works and service upgrades and we advise customers to plan ahead and check their routes before travelling to ensure a smooth journey.”
What is the weather forecast for Easter?
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The forecast is for unsettled weather with rain or showers in most regions but drier spells in northern areas later in the weekend.
When are the school holidays?
Schools break for Easter on Friday and return on Monday, April 15.
