Christmas Travel LIVE: Traffic chaos on motorways while getaways hit by cancelled flights
National Highways reports severe congestion on motorways across UK as millions take to roads during festive period
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Your support makes all the difference.Thousands of travellers hoping to reach home for Christmas have had to organise last minute alternatives, as flights, ferries and trains have been cancelled across the UK, while drivers face traffic chaos on motorways.
National Highways is reporting severe congestion on multiple roads across the country, including the M6, M5 and M25.
It said the M1 has now reopened although drivers were still warned of delays after emergency services were called to a van fire there on Monday morning.
More than 100 flights at Heathrow, the UK’s busiest airport, were cancelled on Sunday. Dozens of ferry routes in Scotland and Ireland were not running due to the bad weather, while rail passengers faced chaos as Northern cancelled all trains on 11 routes.
Snow over the weekend also caused chaos on the M62, with one lane closed, as millions have taken to the country’s motorways ahead of Christmas.
More snow is expected towards the end of December, with the Met Office forecasting ice, sleet and snow is set to hit the north of the country and perhaps also central areas.
However, conditions are expected to improve this week after the widespread disruption caused by the “perfect storm” of adverse weather conditions and road congestion. The forecaster is currently predicting a “grey Christmas” with some sunny spells and “extremely mild” temperatures.
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Stansted Express fails again
Forty-eight hours after the last failure of the Stansted Express, airline passengers using the Essex airport face fresh problems – with all trains cancelled until 11am.
National Rail says: “A points failure at Stansted Airport means that all lines are blocked. Trains running to / from this station may be cancelled, delayed by up to 60 minutes, revised or diverted. Disruption is expected until 11:00.
“Trains are unable to run to / from Stansted Airport because of a points failure. Points allow trains to move from track to another, similar to changing lanes in a car or using a slip road.
“Stansted Express trains will run as far as Bishops Stortford. Trains from Norwich and Cambridge will be diverted to Bishops Stortford.
“Limited accessible replacement buses will be running between Bishops Stortford and Stansted Airport.”
21.3 million drivers to travel on Sunday
Warnings have been given to drivers of a “perfect storm” created by bad weather and congestion on the roads.
The AA predicted 21.3 million drivers will hit the road on Sunday while 22.7 million had been expected on Saturday, slightly fewer than the 23.7 million on Friday which was expected to be the busiest day on the roads since the group’s records began in 2010.
A spokesperson said “if the congestion wasn’t enough of a headache, the inclement weather could create the perfect storm”.
“We advise those heading out to allow extra time to travel and increase the distance between themselves and other road users.”
Western Scotland: most ferries cancelled
Caledonian MacBrayne has cancelled most of its sailings in the Western Isles for the day due to strong winds.
Some services in the Clyde are running, but ferries to and from Rothesay and Bute are uncertain. The ferry firm says: “Due to strong winds the 08:05 sailing from Rothesay and the 09:05 sailing from Wemyss Bay are cancelled.
“MV Bute will sail at 09:05 from Rothesay and attempt to berth at Wemyss Bay. If berthing is unsuccessful the vessel will return to Rothesay.
“Due to adverse weather forecast, this service is at heightened risk of disruption or cancellation at short notice.”
Chaos as hundreds of trains are cancelled by Northern in northwest England
Rail passengers in northwest England face another chaotic Sunday as Northern cancels all trains on 11 routes.
The state-run rail firm has axed hundreds of services. It is telling travellers: “Recently, we have seen higher levels of cancellations in the northwest and for that we are sorry.
“The underlying reason is train crew availability, in particular on Sundays which is contractually outside of the working week.
“We encourage everyone to plan ahead and check journeys before travelling for the latest information and train times.”
Rail replacement buses are running on routes including Preston to Blackpool South and Wigan North Western; Oxenholme to Windermere; Stockport to Chester, Crewe and Stoke on Trent; Blackburn to Clitheroe; Lancaster to Morecambe and Heysham; Manchester Airport to Wilmslow; Southport to Manchester Victoria.
Northern also says many other routes have large gaps in services, including Manchester Piccadilly to Sheffield (up to three hours between trains) and Buxton (up to four hours).
Heathrow cancellations: the routes affected:
More than 100 flights to and from the UK’s busiest airport have been cancelled today. Predicted high winds mean the rate of arrivals – normally as many as one every 80 seconds – is extended, reducing the number of planes that can be handled. At least 15,000 travellers have had their travel plans torn up.
Eighty of the Heathrow cancellations are on British Airways, involving short-haul domestic and European flights. Three round-trips to Amsterdam and Glasgow have been grounded.
Other airlines affected: Aer Lingus: Dublin Eurowings: Cologne Iberia: Madrid KLM: Amsterdam Lufthansa: Frankfurt (two round-trips) SAS: Oslo Swiss: Zurich TAP: Lisbon Turkish Airlines: Istanbul Virgin Atlantic: Miami
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Where are the weather warnings on Sunday?
Five day weather forecast
This Evening and Tonight:
Frequent blustery showers continue overnight, turning increasingly to sleet and snow over the hills in the north and west. Some clear spells between the showers and remaining very windy.
Sunday:
A cold and very windy day on Sunday with sunny spells and blustery, wintry showers, these tending to fall as rain into the afternoon. Feeling cold despite the sunshine.
Outlook for Monday to Wednesday:
Turning milder during Monday and Christmas Eve with outbreaks of rain spreading southeast, and still windy. Drier in the south into Christmas Day although still rather damp in the north.
Mapped: Where Met Office weather warnings for 80mph winds will hit UK
The UK is set to see rain and disruptive winds of up to 80mph this weekend as the Met Office issues weather warnings for Christmas holiday drivers.
Yellow wind warnings have been released for the weekend, with one covering Scotland, much of Northern Ireland, north Wales and north-west England between 7am and midnight on Saturday.
Sunday’s warning also includes London, the South East, the South West, the East Midlands, the West Midlands, Yorkshire and all of Wales and Northern Ireland.
Read the full article here:
Mapped: Met Office weather warnings for 80mph winds as Christmas holidays begin
Met Office says area of low pressure will bring rain and strong winds across large swathes of the UK
Met Office reveals whether white Christmas is coming to UK in forecast
Britons hoping for a white Christmas are set to be sorely disappointed with a mild and grey 25 December, forecasters have predicted.
For the Met Office to declare a white Christmas, a single snowflake has to be observed falling in the 24 hours of Christmas Day anywhere in the UK.
However, the day is likely to be settled, cloudy and dry with light winds for most of the UK, according to the forecaster.
Read the full article here:
Met Office reveals whether festive forecast will fulfil dreams of a white Christmas
The last widespread Christmas with snow settling on the ground was more than ten years ago
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