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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How to avoid travel chaos on road and rail this Christmas and New Year
Map: When and where to expect the worst traffic jams this Christmas
How to avoid travel chaos on road and rail this Christmas and New Year
Amber warnings for traffic gridlock, threatened strikes and the traditional rail engineering work interrupting major train links: it’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas.
The festive season this winter will be busier than ever, with record numbers of travellers predicted at London Heathrow and many other airports, as well as on Britain’s motorways.
These are the key pinch points and potential problems – to help you plan to swerve the disruption, or at least to be prepared for crowds and chaos.
Read the full article here:
How to avoid travel chaos on road and rail this Christmas and New Year
Exclusive: Trains, boats and planes will be different over the festive season – with strikes and engineering work adding to the chaos
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