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Thousands of travelers hoping to get home for Christmas have been forced to organize last-minute alternatives, as flights, ferries and trains are canceled across the UK, while drivers face traffic chaos on motorways.
National highways reported congestion on multiple roads across the country.
However, she said the M1 motorway had now reopened after emergency services were called to put out a truck fire there on Monday.
More than 100 flights were canceled at Heathrow Airport, the UK’s busiest airport, on Sunday. Dozens of ferry routes in Scotland and Ireland were not running due to bad weather, while rail passengers faced chaos as Northern canceled all trains on 11 routes.
Snow over the weekend also caused chaos on the M62 motorway, with one lane closed, as millions took to the roads ahead of Christmas.
More snow is expected at the end of December, with the Met Office predicting ice, sleet and snow will hit the north of the country and possibly the central regions as well.
However, conditions are expected to improve this week after widespread disruption caused by a “perfect storm” of adverse weather conditions and road congestion. The forecaster is currently predicting a “gray Christmas” with some sunny spells and “very mild” temperatures.
The worst times to drive during a ‘record festive holiday’ has been revealed by the RAC
Drivers have been warned which major roads they should avoid this Christmas season, with experts predicting a record number of festive journeys will be made.
Some 29.3 million Christmas journeys will take place between Wednesday and December 24, according to RAC estimates, almost half of which will take place on the weekend before Christmas alone.
Polling more than 2,000 drivers, the motoring group urged festive commuters to avoid main roads in the coming days.
my colleague Albert Toth More in this report:
Andy GregoryDecember 24, 2024 at 08:00
For rail passengers, the day is all about timing
Trains will begin returning to their depots on Christmas from late afternoon onwards, with services on most routes closing early. The last direct trains on major intercity routes on 24 December include:
- London King’s Cross – Edinburgh: 5.30pm / Edinburgh – London King’s Cross: 4.13pm
- London Euston-Manchester Piccadilly: 5.55pm/Manchester Piccadilly-London Euston: 6.13pm
- London Paddington-Cardiff Central: 7.48pm/Cardiff Central-London Paddington: 8.18pm
- London Victoria-Gatwick: 8.45pm/London Gatwick-Victoria: 7.32pm
- Bristol Temple Meads Leeds: 4.35pm / Leeds-Bristol Temple Meads: 4.11pm
- Glasgow Queen Street – Aberdeen: 6.41pm / Aberdeen – Glasgow Queen Street: 6.36pm
Passenger trains will not run on any UK railway on Christmas Day.
All Caledonian Sleeper services between London and Scotland have been canceled until Friday 27 December, while the Night Riviera Sleeper service linking London to Plymouth and Penzance has stopped running until Friday 3 January.
Travel correspondent Simon Calder24 December 2024 07:33
SET: Where to expect the worst traffic jams this Christmas?
Drivers planning Christmas holidays have been warned by the AA to expect potential congestion during the run-up to Christmas in the following areas:
Andy GregoryDecember 24, 2024 at 07:00
Revealing the worst train stations whose services were canceled in 2024
Manchester Victoria has been revealed as the station with the highest proportion of service cancellations in 2024 in an analysis of the UK’s busiest train stations.
About 9.5 per cent of all scheduled stops in Manchester Victoria were found to have been canceled between January and November this year, according to a BBC analysis of national rail figures compiled by train data website On Time Trains.
More than three million stops were canceled across the UK between January and November this year, amounting to 3.8% of about 83 million scheduled stops.
The North West of England was the worst area for cancellations with the highest rate at 6.5 per cent, amounting to 611,047 cancellations.
my colleague Amelia Neath Reports:
Andy GregoryDecember 24, 2024 at 06:00
The airport baggage mistake that could cost you this Christmas
Travelers traveling before December 25 will have checked their bags and may have double-packed them – but it’s best to leave the gift wrapping on until you arrive.
Whether heading to a Christmas destination or visiting family far away, travelers may want to keep sentimental gifts in their carry-on for takeoff.
However, passengers are now being warned to forego wrapping efforts before passing through security checkpoints to avoid line delays and confiscation of gifts.
Natalie Wilson More details in this report:
Andy GregoryDecember 24, 2024 at 05:00
Your guide to passengers’ rights if your flight is cancelled.
Andy GregoryDecember 24, 2024 at 03:00
ICYMI: A plane crashes in high winds at a UK airport
A plane has crash-landed in strong winds at Belfast airport, as bad weather disrupts travel across the UK in the run-up to Christmas.
Belfast City Airport was forced to take emergency measures on Sunday after the nose of the plane collapsed while landing in bad weather conditions. No injuries were reported.
Andy GregoryDecember 24, 2024 01:00
The perfect remote island for winter sun that you’ve probably never heard of
For anyone still looking forward to a sunny getaway this winter, or those looking forward to next winter, Sarah Marshall Reports on a largely undiscovered destination that resembles a Caribbean getaway, whose pristine sandy beaches are equally first-class:
Andy GregoryDecember 24, 2024 00:01
