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Easter travel – live: Bank holiday chaos as drivers face 20-mile queues on M4 and M5 and delays at Dover

LIVE – Updated at 18:00

The bank holiday travel chaos continues as drivers face up to 20-mile-long queues on major motorways as well as two-hour delays at the Port of Dover.

Around 2.6 million car journeys were expected to be made on Good Friday as the Easter getaway got underway, with holiday traffic causing “significant” congestion around the M25 and roads in the South West and South East by lunchtime. Queues of 15 to 20 miles were seen on the M4 and M5 interchange near Bristol, which is adding 45 minutes to journey times.

Meanwhile, the Port of Dover warned of two-hour delays on Friday afternoon. Huge queues could be seen building up there after ferry company DFDS reported on Thursday that its services were running with delays “due to strong winds in the Channel”.

And once again there are long waits for French passport control at the Kent port, where frontier formalities are carried out before boarding ferries to France. Since Brexit, officials are required to scrutinise and stamp UK passports.

It comes after plans were dashed as strong winds from the Spanish-named Storm Nelson hit the start of the wet long weekend, forcing the cancellation of trains, with almost 200 flood warnings and alerts remaining in place across the UK on Friday.

Motorists stuck in ‘pretty horrendous’ 20-mile long Good Friday motorway queues

Port of Dover warns two-hour delays continue blaming ‘adverse weather'

Severe disruption for rail passengers, particularly between london and southwest england, warning over easter ‘carmageddon’ traffic chaos – which day will see the worst traffic.

Drivers are being warned of chaos on roads over the Easter weekend, with as many as 18.5 million car trips planned at the start of school holidays .

Those setting out on their journeys are likely to encounter delays from Thursday 28 March, when children break up at the end of term, into Good Friday, with one specialist warning that it could be “carmageddon” for those making their getaways.

The overall travel picture should not be as bad as in 2023, when the Easter weekend coincided with strikes that led to the cancellation and delays of dozens of flights and widespread rail engineering work.

These are the worst days for Easter traffic after ‘carmageddon’ warning

14 million to hit the road this Easter bank holiday weekend

Drivers have been warned of huge traffic delays as millions of people are set to hit the road this bank holiday weekend.

The RAC warned journeys on the road could take up to twice as long as usual as 14 million people are expected to set off.

“With Easter falling earlier than usual at the start of the school holidays, it could be carmageddon for holidaymakers,” an RAC breakdown spokesperson said.

Journeys on the M25 between the M23 for Gatwick and the M1 in Hertfordshire are expected to take more than two hours, while the M5 southbound between Bristol and Taunton is also likely to be congested.

Welcome to our liveblog

Good morning and welcome to The Independent’s liveblog on the Easter bank holiday traffic.

Huge delays are expected on the roads this afternoon as many head off on their weekend getaways.

Rail passengers have also been affected by cancellations and engineering works.

We’ll be bringing you the latest news as it happens.

Windy weather in Cornwall as millions head off on getaways

Around 14 million Britons are due to hit the road today as many head off on their Easter getaways.

Many will be heading for staycations in popular UK holiday spots such as Devon and Cornwall. However, pictures from Cornwall this morning show some windy and gloomy conditions.

The Met Office has issued a weather warning for wind today in some parts of the south of England and showers are expected throughout the weekend.

Easter travel chaos: how bad will it be?

The great Easter getaway could see travellers caught up in delays by road , ferry, rail and air.

In a normal year there would be a gap between most schools breaking up and the long weekend. But with Easter falling so early the two are combined.

My colleague Simon Calder has explained the Easter travel situation and how bad it might be:

Chaos on Great Western Railway

On one of the busiest days of the year for rail travel, flooding is causing chaos on the Great Western Railway between London Paddington, southwest England, Bristol and South Wales.

The line between Reading and Taunton is partially blocked with disruption expected until the rest of the day. GWR said: “We are sorry for the delay to your journey today. Flooding on the railway between Reading and Taunton has resulted in some signal failures along this route. Network Rail are working to rectify the faults. This means that our high speed services between Reading and Taunton have to run at reduced speeds through the affected areas. The line towards Taunton is now blocked due to further flooding.

“Our high speed services from London Paddington towards Devon and Cornwall will be diverted between Reading and Taunton which will add delay to your journey.”

Unfortunately the main diversion route is also experiencing problems. High-speed trains heading west from Swindon in Wiltshire to Bristol and Cardiff are having to reduce their speed from 125mph to just 5mph as a result of flooding on the line.

“Trains may be delayed by up to 30 minutes, cancelled or diverted as a result,” says National Rail.

Severe delays on the M1

There are reports of severe delays on the M1 northbound between junctions J25 and J27.

According to AA, motorists are facing delays of 44 minutes with an average speed of five mph.

It is expected to clear later this morning.

Further train cancellations and delays

Extreme flooding is wreaking havoc in the South West today as several lines are forced to close on one of the busiest travel days of the year.

Great Western Railway said all lines are closed between Westbury and Swindon until at least 2pm.

“Due to flooding across the railway network this morning, we need to reutilise the Melksham line for other purposes,” it said.

“As a result trains between Westbury and Swindon via Melksham are suspended until further notice.”

There have also been delays and cancellations between Swindon and Bristol Parkway, Westbury and Weymouth, Reading and Taunton and Sindon and Chippenham.

Rail passengers warned not to travel as London Euston shuts over bank holiday weekend

Rail passengers have been warned to “travel either side of the Easter weekend” as London Euston is set to shut for the entire weekend.

Major improvements to track mean the busy station will be closing for all but Overground services from Good Friday to Easter Monday.

Network Rail has advised travellers to avoid the West Coast main line during the bank holiday, adding that engineering works between London and Milton Keynes. will also impact southern routes to and from London.

Replacement bus services will be in effect on various routes, and passengers have been urged to check their journeys in advance as they might face longer travel times.

Full list of Avanti West Coast disruptions

Here is a helpful list of all the affected Avanti West Coast services and stations impacted by engineering works this bank holiday weekend.

No trains will be running from London Euston as the busy station will be closed for all but Overground services.

What are the busiest routes this weekend?

The RAC has warned that 14 million drivers could be facing long delays as they set off on their Easter getaways this bank holiday weekend.

The busiest routes are expected to be:

The M25 between the M23 for Gatwick and the M1 in Hertfordshire

M5 southbound between Bristol and Taunton

M3 between the M25 and the south coast

Two million holidaymakers are set to jet off over the Easter weekend, with one airport bracing for “record-breaking” passenger numbers.

Turkey, Dubai and the Canary Islands are among the most popular destinations amid wet and windy weather forecast for the UK, although trips to Dublin are also in demand.

Travel trade organisation Abta said airports are reporting “strong numbers”, with 175,000 due to leave from Stansted, 105,000 from Luton, 160,000 from Manchester, 79,000 from Birmingham, and 89,000 from Edinburgh between Friday and Monday.

Bristol, which predicts 30,000 holiday trips on Easter Sunday alone, warned people flying with chocolate: “If travelling with Easter eggs, passengers are advised to keep any chocolate treats in your cabin baggage and to make sure they’re easily accessible as they may need to be opened for a quick check.”

Easter warning to drivers over bank holiday weekend after snow falls in Devon and Wales

Drivers in some parts of the country have been warned to take “extreme care” after snow fell overnight ahead of the Easter bank holiday weekend.

Snow settled in areas of Devon and Wales overnight as the weather over the next few days is set to be chilly and drizzly.

Devon County Council issued a warning to motorists, adding: “Our gangs have been working all night to keep the roads passable but drive with extreme care, avoid high roads and stick to main roads where possible.”

Read the full story here:

Easter warning to drivers over bank holiday after snow falls in Devon and Wales

London Euston station ‘extremely busy’ as travellers seek to beat line closure

London Euston, one of the UK’s busiest stations, is extremely busy as travellers seek to reach their destinations ahead of the line closure.

The terminus will be closed to all regional and long-distance trains throughout the Easter weekend.

From Good Friday to Easter Monday, Network Rail is closing the West Coast main line between London Euston and Milton Keynes Central.

New track will be laid near Kensal Green tunnel and a busy junction just south of Milton Keynes will be replaced.

The best diversion line for the West Midlands is the Chiltern route from London Marylebone to Birmingham, while London St Pancras is expected to be extremely busy with passengers heading for Sheffield and onwards to Manchester and elsewhere in northwest England.

Caledonian Sleeper trains will run to and from London King’s Cross – where the East Coast main line is expected to be running normally.

Plane forced to abort landing amid extreme winds

A plane was forced to abort a landing at Gatwick Aiport today as Easter getaway hopes are dashed for Britons across the UK.

Dramatic footage showed an easyJet flight from Daro attempt to land in heavy rain and strong winds at around 12:30pm.

The Airbus A320 wobbles from side to side before pulling up again to avoid disaster. It landed ten minutes later successfully.

It comes as Spanish meteorologists named Storm Nelson as it makes its way over to the UK. It is expected to bring gusts of up to 50mph in most places with warnings that winds could reach up to 60 to 70mph in exposed coastal areas.

Ferries cancelled as Storm Nelson brings extreme winds

Ferries have been cancelled and delayed today due to strong winds as Briton’s Easter getaway plans are left in tatters.

DFDS was forced to cancel some ferries from Dover to Calais and Dieppe to Newhaven on Thursday as sea conditions grew dangerous.

There is a yellow weather warning for wind currently in place in the south of England which predicts the possibility of road, rail, air and ferry disruption.

The Port of Dover also warned passengers that the English channel was “rough with a strong south-easterly breeze, force six”.

The Met Office has warned of wind gusts of up to 70mph in coastal areas today as Spanish-named Storm Nelson begins to wreak havoc on the country.

Attractions forced to shut amid extreme weather

People looking for a fun day out in some areas of the UK had their plans ruined today as the extreme weather forced some attractions to close.

Kew Gardens in London closed early at 3pm due to the wet and window conditions along with areas of Bushy Park and Kensington Gardens.

Dartmoor Zoo in Devon - which saw snow fall over night - also shut due to the wind alongside some National Trust sites including Needles Old Battery and Mottisfont Gardens in Hampshire

Nearly three inches of snow was recorded this morning at Sennybridge in Powys, Wales, while two inches fell overnight just north of Dartmoor.

Not very Great Western Railway

Rail passengers hoping to travel between London Paddington, the West of England and South Wales face an Easter full of problems.

The main line from Paddington to Bristol Temple Meads is blocked because of flooding.

Passengers are being told by GWR: “Network Rail advise that due to flooding at Christian Malford, only one line is currently available between Swindon and Chippenham, meaning trains will have to ‘take it in turns’ to use the one available track.

“This will cause delays on the route between London Paddington and Bristol Temple Meads via Swindon, Chippenham and Bath Spa.”

On Sunday, the main line west of the capital will be disrupted in the morning due to emergency engineering works to sets of points.

Passengers are warned: “Emergency engineering works will affect services between London Paddington and Reading this Sunday. Customers are advised not to travel until midday.

“Repairs need to be undertaken to sets of points over Saturday night and Sunday morning to prevent further disruption affecting more passengers after the weekend.

“Trains will continue to operate between Reading and Bristol, South Wales, and Devon and Cornwall. However, there may be short-notice changes and cancellations, and customers are advised to check journeys beforehand.

“We’re very sorry for any inconvenience caused. Ticket acceptance will be in place with South Western Railway between Waterloo and Reading, and Chiltern Railways between Marylebone and Oxford.”

Airport packed for Easter getaway hopefuls as planes struggle to land

Airports are packed with eager holidaymakers today as planes face difficulty landing amid extreme winds and heavy rain.

Drivers, rail passengers and now jet-setters are facing travel chaos as many attempt to get their Easter weekend started.

Two million holidaymakers are set to take flight over the weekend, with one airport bracing for “record-breaking” passenger numbers.

Manchester Airport managing director Chris Woodroofe said: ‘It’s exciting that record numbers of people will be taking off from here this Easter: 320,000 people will travel (through the airport) over the bank holiday weekend - that’s up 7 per cent on April 2023.’

It comes as dramatic footage showed an easyJet flight from Faro abort a landing at Gatwick Airport in heavy rain and strong winds at around 12:30pm.

UK Border Force staff to strike at Heathrow airport

More than 600 Border Force officers deployed at Heathrow airport will walk out for four days from 11 April – potentially causing chaos as families return from Easter holidays.

The strike by members of the PCS union has been timed to hit the busiest days for arrival at the UK’s biggest airport.

In a ballot that closed last week, PCS members who carry out immigration controls and passport checks at Heathrow airport voted by nine to one to walk out over a new roster and imposed changes to shift patterns.

The union says the changes could see as many as 250 staff losing their jobs.

The PCS general secretary, Fran Heathcote, said: “Ministers have 14 days to withdraw these unfair and unnecessary proposals or our members at Heathrow will take strike action.

“Consultation with staff has been a farce, with our members having little or no choice about the new arrangements.

“Ripping up flexible working arrangements is no way to treat staff especially, as the government says, their work is critical to our nation’s security.

“Some members are heart-broken that the Border Force has become ‘unprofessional and inhumane’.

“If the government is serious about border security, it should look at Border Force officers’ job security, look after its staff, scrap the changes and work with us to protect jobs and working conditions.”

The Independent has asked the Home Office for a response

Manchester United fans risk being stranded after kick off time change

Manchester United fans have spoken out in anger against the decision to move their Premier League match against Brentford at the weekend to the late kick off time.

The match is due to kick off at the Gtech Community Stadium on Saturday 30 March at 8pm GMT.

The kick off time is just two minutes before the last train is scheduled to depart London St Pancras for Manchester Piccadilly. London Euston is not in service this weekend because of engineering works between London and Milton Keynes.

UK airport expects record weekend as Easter egg warning issued

Two million holidaymakers are set to jet off over the Easter weekend , with one airport bracing for “record-breaking” passenger numbers.

Turkey , Dubai and the Canary Islands are among the most popular destinations amid wet and windy weather forecast for the UK, although trips to Dublin are also in demand.

Travel trade organisation Abta said airports are reporting “strong numbers”, with 175,000 due to leave from Stansted , 105,000 from Luton , 160,000 from Manchester , 79,000 from Birmingham, and 89,000 from Edinburgh between Friday and Monday.

According to the RAC, 14 million people are due to travel on the roads this weekend with some popular routes taking double the amount of time they usually would.

Easter travel chaos: How bad will it be?

The great Easter getaway could see travellers caught up in delays by road , ferry, rail and air. In a normal year there would be a gap between most schools breaking up and the long weekend. But with Easter falling so early the two are combined. Term is ending at many schools on Thursday 28 March, putting extra pressure on transportation.

At least three major UK airports – Bristol, Newcastle and Edinburgh – have told The Independent this will be their busiest Easter ever. Some airlines are predicting record numbers for the spell between Good Friday and Easter Monday. Geneva routes will be extremely busy with winter sports fans, while Malaga, Alicante, Faro and Tenerife are the leading spring sunshine holiday destinations.

Easter travel chaos: How bad will it be and when are the worst time to travel?

Barred from Europe: 2.4m Brits caught in post-Brexit passport chaos

Millions of Britons are barred from entering the EU by post-Brexit passport rules that are set to cause chaos over the Easter holidays.

With the getaway starting in earnest on Thursday, an estimated 2.4 million travellers have documents that can’t be used for trips to the EU because of the change in expiry requirements .

Since Brexit, British passports must have an issue date less than 10 years old on the day of departure to the EU, and must have at least three months left before their expiry date on the intended day of return. But millions of passports issued prior to September 2018 have longer validity periods.

Weather warnings for wind and rain issued ahead of Easter weekend

The Met Office said the forecast for the Easter weekend remained “unsettled” but “bright and breezy”, with temperatures of up to 15C in west London and 14C in Manchester on Sunday, which was typical for this time of year.

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.”

UK airports bracing for two million holidaymakers over Easter weekend

Two million British holidaymakers are set to jet off abroad over the Easter weekend, with one airport bracing for “record-breaking” passenger numbers.

Manchester Airport managing director Chris Woodroofe said: “It’s exciting that record numbers of people will be taking off from here this Easter: 320,000 people will travel (through the airport) over the bank holiday weekend - that’s up 7% on April 2023.”

Glasgow predicts more than 90,000 passengers over the four days, while Birmingham Airport said it expects a 27.2% increase in departures on last year over the full Easter period.

Bristol, which predicts 30,000 holiday trips on Easter Sunday alone, advised: “If travelling with Easter eggs, passengers are advised to keep any chocolate treats in your cabin baggage and to make sure they’re easily accessible as they may need to be opened for a quick check.”

Liverpool Airport expects around 60,000 passengers over the four days, which is around 7% higher than last year.

Stansted airport cut off from London by rail

Passengers heading for the UK’s fourth-busiest airport, London Stansted, face big potential problems this morning. The Stansted Express railway line from the capital to the airport is not running, with “major disruption” expected until 10.30am.

A falling tree brought down overhead wires near the station of Stansted Mountfitchet. Some trains are running to Bishop’s Stortford, where taxis are available. But on one of the busiest days of the year so far for the Essex airport, it seems inevitable that some airline passengers will miss their flights.

National Rail is telling passengers: “Customers are asked NOT TO TRAVEL between London Liverpool Street and Stansted Airport.

“Tickets for today will be accepted tomorrow.”

Trains to and from Cambridge are also affected, but passengers can use an alternative line from London King's Cross.

Normally four trains per hour would run each way between Stansted and London Liverpool Street, with capacity for more than 2,000 passengers.

Manchester Piccadilly station almost deserted

One of the UK’s busiest rail hubs, Manchester Piccadilly, is extremely quiet this morning. Two of the key routes from the station are closed for Network Rail engineering work: the West Coast main line to London Euston and the main trans-Pennine route to Huddersfield and Leeds.

From Manchester to London, the journey time is nearly doubled to around four hours. Avanti West Coast trains are running as far south as Milton Keynes Central, from where rail replacement buses are running to Bedford for a connection to East Midlands Railway.

Buses are also replacing trains between Manchester and Huddersfield.

Disruption on other lines began early, with Northern trains from Manchester Piccadilly to the airport delayed.

One week from today, no Avanti West Coast trains will run because of a strike involving train drivers belonging to the Aslef union.

Sonia Twigg reports:

Why Manchester United fans have been left fuming by Brentford kick-off time

In pictures: Passengers queue for ferries at the Port of Dover in Kent

Benjamin Parker reports:

Among city breaks, Amsterdam , Barcelona, Dublin, Paris and Rome are the most popular. Dubai , Orlando and New York are the key longer-haul destinations.

Simon Calder, Travel Correspondent reports:

Port of Dover report passengers face delays of well over an hour

Major queues have been seen at the Port of Dover as passengers face delays of well over an hour.

The Port of Dover was reporting on Friday morning that the processing time for cars arriving at the port was 70 minutes.

One of UK’s main motorway arteries, the A1(M), is closed today, warns AA president

The president of the AA is warning that one of the UK’s main motorway arteries, the A1(M), is closed today.

Edmund King has said the road is shut on Friday at J6 northbound between Welwyn and Stevenage for roadworks.

He added that the M20 is slow towards Dover.

In pictures: Passengers at Manchester airport at start of Easter getaway

Met office reveals weather extremes of thursday after day brought ‘real mix'.

The Met Office has said Thursday brought a “real mix” of weather as it revealed the extremes of the day.

The UK saw snow, hail, thunder, rain, gales and sunshine, as temperatures plunged to below freezing in some areas and as high as 12.5C in others.

AA warns electric vehicle drivers to have sufficient charge – or risk fines and penalty points

The AA is warning drivers of electric vehicles to ensure they have sufficient charge – or risk fines and penalty points.

Jack Cousens, head of road policy at the motoring organisation, said: “There can be some genuine reasons for running out of fuel or electric charge such as a faulty gauge, charging fault or undetected fuel leak.

"On occasions, cars may get stuck in jams for hours due to bad winter weather or miles of disruption leading to Channel ports which could result in running out of fuel or charge running low. Hence, we advise to always have at least one-quarter of a tank of fuel or sufficient charge to account for diversions if some chargers aren’t working.

“Most of the out-of-fuel cases the AA sees are a result of driver misjudgement, and the police have the power to give a warning or a penalty if it is deemed to be careless driving or causes an obstruction. If you are running low, you can use the AA route planner to find the closest and cheapest fuel and the nearest charging point.”

In pictures: Cars pass Stonehenge in Wiltshire on A303 as Easter getaway continues

Almost 200 flood warnings and alerts in place across uk.

Almost 200 flood warnings and alerts are in place across the UK.

As of Friday morning, 163 flood alerts had been issued by the Environment Agency (EA), meaning flooding in those areas is possible, while 30 flood warnings were in place in areas where flooding is expected.

In pictures: Passengers descend on King’s Cross Station on Good Friday

Respect the liquids rule, says manchester airport boss.

Chris Woodroofe, managing director of Manchester airport, has been giving advice to travellers heading abroad this weekend.

Speaking to The Independent’s daily travel podcast, the airport boss said: “There's been a lot of talk in the news about the new liquids and laptops rules. The reality is that pretty much every UK airport is in the process of changing. So if you're coming to an airport, do make sure you still get your liquids and your laptops ready to come out of your bag.

“If you come to [Manchester airport] Terminal 2 today, there's a reasonable chance you'll go through one of those new lanes, and that's great. It just means you don't have to take the things out of your bag.

“We're in the middle of a £1.3 billion transformation programme. In the next 12 months we are going to spend half a billion pounds on improving Terminal 2, investing in those new security scanning machines and really pushing on to make Manchester airport the place the people in the North can be proud of.”

Listen to the full episode here:

March 29th - Manchester Airport reaches for the skies | Simon Calder's Independent Travel Podcast

In pictures: Wind and rain batters UK as Londoners seen setting off for long weekend

Dover delays for post-brexit passport checks.

Once again queues have built up for French passport control at the Port of Dover, where frontier formalities are carried out before boarding ferries to France. Since Brexit, officials are required to scrutinise and stamp UK passports.

The port is warning of two-hour delays.

P&O Ferries has tweeted: "Ahoy travellers. We are aware of the queues in Dover. Please rest assured that if you miss your sailing, we will put you on the next available ship once you reach check in."

Watch: Queues at Dover as Easter getaway underway

In pictures: travellers at liverpool street station as getaway continues for easter weekend.

Simon Calder travel advice: When to renew your passport before visiting Europe

Since Brexit , the rules on passport validity for British visitors to the European Union have tightened.

Gone are the days when you could travel to the EU at any point before your travel document expired; the UK is now a “third country”, with rules to match.

Added confusion has come in the form of the UK’s own HM Passport Office, which has continued to give out incorrect information regarding child passport expiry dates .

These are the key questions and answers based on EU rules:

On the railways, passengers are having to cope with a combination of planned disruption – in the shape of Network Rail engineering closures – and unexpected chaos.

The closure of the West Coast main line between London Euston and Milton Keynes for a upgrade was flagged months in advance, and many people made their journeys between London, the West Midlands, northwest England and southern Scotland late on Thursday before the line was blocked.

The main trans-Pennine route has buses running instead of trains between Manchester and Huddersfield – again, advertised well ahead.

Much of the “on the day” disruption involves Great Western Railway, which serves the West of England and South Wales from London Paddington. The main line to Exeter, the rest of Devon and Cornwall has been closed since last night due to flooding between Newbury and Westbury.

The rail firm is telling passengers: “The flood water has now subsided, however there has been significant damage to the railway infrastructure so Network Rail need to keep the line closed in order to make the railway safe. This disruption is expected to last until the end of the day.

“Our high speed trains between London Paddington and the southwest will divert between Reading and Taunton.”

The trans-Wiltshire railway from Westbury to Swindon is also closed.

Local stations are being linked by taxis organised by GWR.

The Port of Dover has warned delays of up to two hours continue, blaming the backlog on the “adverse weather”.

As of 2pm on Friday, the port said the processing time for tourists was two hours in the wake of Storm Nelson, which battered the UK with wind and rain, causing major travel disruption across the country.

Met Office reveals latest forecast for Easter weekend

The Met Office has revealed its latest forecast for the Easter weekend.

The forecaster warned of a risk of thunder later today.

Holiday traffic has caused “pretty horrendous” 20-mile long queues on major motorways, adding 45 minutes to journey times.

Around 2.6 million car journeys were expected to be made on Good Friday, with “significant” congestion around the M25 and roads in the South West and South East by lunchtime.

The RAC said holidaymakers heading south were behind much of the congestion after forecasters predicted sunnier spells there over the next few days.

Ted Hennessey reports:

Met Office forecasts warmer temperatures for Easter weekend

The Met Office has forecast warmer temperatures for the Easter weekend than those of recent days.

The forecaster said Britons can expect rising temperatures for their bank holiday weekend, with highs of 16C predicted for Sunday.

More than 170 flood warnings and alerts remain in place in UK after Storm Nelson

More than 170 flood warnings and alerts remain in place across the UK following Storm Nelson.

As of Friday morning, 152 flood alerts had been issued by the Environment Agency (EA), meaning flooding in those areas is possible, while 21 flood warnings were in place in areas where flooding is expected.

Holiday traffic has been ‘pretty horrendous’ on Good Friday so far

Queues of 15 to 20 miles were seen on the M4 and M5 interchange near Bristol, which is adding 45 minutes on to journey times.

Meanwhile, the western side of the M25 was described as “pretty bad” and a “lot worse than normal”, with 40-minute queues.

It was also busy on the top-end of the M20, with congestion heading into Folkestone.

RAC spokesman Simon Williams told the PA news agency: “Everyone’s heading to Devon and Cornwall, that’s the attraction, and there’s been a bit of better weather.

“It’s causing some pretty horrendous queues.”

Two million set to fly abroad

Travel trade organisation Abta had predicted that two million British holidaymakers were set to jet abroad over the four days.

Airports are reporting “strong numbers”, with 175,000 due to leave from Stansted, 105,000 from Luton, 160,000 from Manchester, 79,000 from Birmingham, and 89,000 from Edinburgh between Friday and Monday.

Turkey, Dubai and the Canary Islands are among the most popular destinations abroad – and trips to Dublin are also in demand.

Weather set to improve over the weekend

The Met Office says the weather is set to improve over the weekend after a wet start for some.

South East England is set to see highs of 16C on Sunday, though elsewhere temperatures will barely get into double figures.

It comes after Storm Nelson brought gusts of 50mph, with a Met Office yellow weather warning for wind covering London and the South East, the South West and east of England on Friday.

Deputy chief meteorologist Dan Harris said: “The weather is expected to gradually improve following the widely unsettled spell of the past few days, with a fairly typical mix of spring-like weather across the UK.

“There will be some sunshine, and it will feel increasingly warm for most as the winds become lighter.”

More travel delays expected when holidaymakers return

The Independent’s own Simon Calder has reminded us that there is more travel misery on the cards for people coming back from holidays in two weeks time.

UK Border Force staff to strike at Heathrow airport for four days from 11 Thursday April.

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M5 and M4 traffic live: Severe delays due to crash and weather as Easter getaway continues

Collision in Taunton, Somerset, with warnings about delays and congestion

• Updated 20:41, 28 MAR 2024

There are long delays on the M5 today after a crash saw two lanes closes. The incident came amid heavy downpours and as the Easter getaway continues.

The day had begun with a crash near Taunton in Somerset which saw the motorway blocked southbound at junction 25. Later in the afternoon, the crash northbound from J17 A4018 (Cribbs Causeway) to J16 A38 Gloucester Road (Aztec West) caused long delays.

The RAC has warned drivers over delays as more than 14 million Easter getaway trips are expected to take place. The motoring organisation said journeys on some popular routes could take twice as long as normal as the bank holiday weekend coincides with the start of a two-week holiday for many schools, leading to a surge in traffic.

Updates below

M48 Severn Bridge still closed

M48 Severn Bridge in both directions closed due to strong winds between J2 A466 Wye Valley Link Road (Chepstow) and J1 A403 ( Aust ). Diversion - M4 Prince of Wales Bridge which is severely congested.

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M4 severe delays.

Severe delays due to the closure of the M48 Severn Bridge on M4 in both directions from J22 (M49 interchange) to J23 (M48 interchange). Congestion to Just before J19 (M32 interchange). Major congestion along the M49 Northbound and the M5 North is also queueing back to before J19 (Portishead) as traffic heads into Wales. In the roadworks area.

M5 crash update

Long delays due to earlier accident on M5 Northbound from J17 A4018 (Cribbs Causeway) to J16 A38 Gloucester Road (Aztec West). Congestion to J19 (Portishead). All lanes have been re-opened.

M48 bridge closure

M48 Severn Bridge in both directions closed due to strong winds between J2 A466 Wye Valley Link Road (Chepstow) and J1 A403 (Aust).

Diversion - M4 Prince of Wales Bridge.

M5 crash near Bristol

Two lanes closed and queueing traffic due to accident on M5 Northbound from J17 A4018 (Cribbs Causeway) to J16 A38 Gloucester Road (Aztec West).

Gloucestershire traffic update: A417 and A429

A417 - BIRDLIP - NORTHBOUND - GLOUCESTERSHIRE

Queueing traffic on A417 Northbound from Birdlip down hill to A436 Air Balloon Roundabout. Travel time is 15 minutes.

A429 - STOW-ON-THE-WOLD - GLOUCESTERSHIRE

Queueing traffic on A429 near the Unicorn Hotel. Travel time is ten minutes.

A429 HIGH STREET AND STOW ROAD - MORETON-IN-MARSH - GLOUCESTERSHIRE

Slow traffic on A429 High Street and Stow Road around A44 mini roundabouts. Travel time is ten minutes.

M48 restrictions

Strong winds and restrictions on M48 Severn Bridge in both directions between J2 A466 Wye Valley Link Road (Chepstow) and J1 A403 (Aust). Everyone comes off Eastbound at J2 or West at J1, around the roundabouts and back on to cross the bridge, which remains open. Usual restriction in case the bridge needs to be closed quickly if cross winds get worse.

M5 Somerset update

Queueing traffic due to accident, now on the hard shoulder on M5 Southbound at J25 A358 (Taunton). All lanes have been re-opened. Cameras show all lanes are now open after the road was blocked for around 20 minutes. Residual delays remain.

Millions of motorists to hit the road

Drivers are being warned over long delays as more than 14 million Easter getaway trips are expected to take place.

The RAC said journeys on some popular routes could take twice as long as normal as the bank holiday weekend coincides with the start of a two-week holiday for many schools, leading to a surge in traffic.

Rail travel will also be disrupted as Network Rail carries out engineering work, with the southern section of the West Coast Main Line closed between Good Friday and Easter Monday.

Tourist board VisitEngland said around 11 million people in the UK are planning an overnight Easter trip, generating an estimated £3.2 billion boost to the economy.

The RAC and transport analysis company Inrix commissioned a survey which suggested 2.6 million leisure journeys by car will be made on Good Friday.

Some 2.3 million getaway trips are planned for each of Easter Saturday and Easter Sunday, with 2.0 million expected to take place on each of Thursday and Easter Monday.

A further 3.3 million Easter leisure journeys have been planned by drivers who are undecided exactly what day they will travel, leading to a total of around 14.5 million getaway trips between Thursday and Easter Monday.

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.

On Good Friday, the lengthiest delays are expected to be between 11am and 3pm, meaning drivers are advised to set off as early as possible in the morning or wait until later in the afternoon.

Two popular routes for holidaymakers – the M5 southbound between Bristol and Taunton, and the M3 between the M25 and the south coast – are likely to be congested, with estimated journey times more than double what they normally are.

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.

“Anyone who can delay leaving on Thursday 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.

“Lengthy queues can be expected along routes to the usual hotspots like the West Country, the Lake District and the south coast, especially during the middle of the day when most people make trips.”

Inrix transportation analyst Bob Pishue said: “Although travel times will peak on Thursday and Friday afternoons, drivers should be prepared for longer journeys than normal throughout the entire weekend.

“To avoid the longest delays, we advise adjusting departure times so you’re not travelling in peak commuter hours.”

The AA advised drivers to carry out “a few simple checks” on their car before embarking on Easter journeys.

Chris Wood, AA patrol of the year, said: “Easter is the first opportunity many people have to go and see their family and we’re expecting the roads to be busy.

“Before setting off on a long journey it’s important to check your car. Take 10 minutes to check your oil, coolant and windscreen wash levels.”

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 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: “We know how important Easter is for families and friends to catch up, and we try to keep as much of the network open as possible.

“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 in normal weekend.

“We’ve got 493 different pieces of work taking place this Easter, most happening overnight, including laying over 8,000 metres of new rail and putting down over 40,000 tonnes of new ballast to support the tracks.”

VisitEngland chief executive Patricia Yates said: “Tourism businesses and destinations will be looking to the critical Easter weekend for much-needed cash flow after the lean winter months so it’s really encouraging to see so many of us are planning a holiday at home.

“We also know from our latest research that the cost of living remains a concern and while people are still keen to take a break, many are booking late, taking shorter breaks, wanting to save on accommodation, activities and eating out, highlighting the ongoing challenges for industry.”

M5 Somerset crash

This from Inrix:

M5 Southbound blocked, queueing traffic due to accident, two vehicles involved at J25 A358 (Taunton). The road has been blocked since around 09:25.

• West Country
• Most Recent

LIVE: M5 traffic chaos after crash in Somerset

Huge delays are building

• Updated 13:28, 1 APR 2024

Traffic was stopped on a stretch of the M5 following a crash in Somerset. It happened on the northbound side of the motorway near Weston-Super-Mare just before noon.

Traffic monitoring website Inrix reports: "Long delays due to earlier accident on M5 Northbound from Sedgemoor Services to J21 A370 (Weston-super-mare).

"Sensors and camera indicate traffic had stopped around 11:50 to 12:05."

There were already delays on the M5 as tourists head home following the Easter break.

Updates will appear in our blog below:

There are long delays on the M5 in Somerset

M5 traffic map in somerset.

Slow traffic on A4 London Road inbound before Cleveland Bridge. Travel time is ten minutes.

Elsewhere on the M5

M5 Northbound partially blocked, slow traffic due to accident from J8 M50 to J7 A44 (Worcester / Evesham).

One lane closed due to vehicle having a tyre changed on M5 Southbound from J19 A369 Martcombe Road (Portishead) to J20 B3133 Ettlingen Way (Clevedon). Traffic is coping well.

Traffic has been released

Long delays due to earlier accident on M5 Northbound from Sedgemoor Services to J21 A370 (Weston-super-mare). Sensors and camera indicate traffic had stopped around 11:50 to 12:05.

M5 traffic has been stopped

All traffic being temporarily held and stationary traffic due to accident on M5 Northbound from Sedgemoor Services to J21 A370 (Weston-super-mare).

Sensors and camera indicate traffic has stopped around 11:50.

Picture shows traffic at junction 22

• Weston-super-mare
• Most Recent

HELP! Please sign our petition to reinstate the live CCTV traffic camera feeds for the M5

As most of you will have already seen, back in December, National Highways, the government body who control and operate the CCTV cameras on the M5 (and the rest of England) restricted access to their feeds, freezing the images on that date and not allowing third parties like us to give you the access to the latest traffic images you previously enjoyed.

We've been working hard to get this access restored but have unfortunately met with nothing but bureaucratic red tape and a response of "no, because we said so" from National Highways.

Road users in Scotland and Wales don't have this problem; their government bodies put the needs of the public first and have created ways for third-party providers to build fast, helpful services, now used by thousands of UK motorists daily.

The more people that sign, the quicker this can be resolved, so please share!

We have been told by National Highways that the camera feeds for the M5 will be reinstated shortly.

If the images are not updating, please check back later.

Enter a custom name for this camera if required, then click the route you wish to save it to.

Enter a custom name for this Bookmark, or just click save to keep it as it is.

Are you sure you wish to remove this camera from ALL routes? If you only wish to remove this camera from a specific route please Cancel, go to the Route in question and remove it from there.

Latest CCTV traffic image from camera #1648 on the M5 road.

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Primary destinations are Walsall, Wolverhampton, Birmingham, Worcester, Cheltenham, Gloucester, Bristol, Weston-super-Mare, Bridgwater, Taunton, End Exeter.

The M5 motorway is often used by holiday makers heading for the Dartmoor National Park to the popular tourist areas in South West England of Devon, Cornwall and Dorset and those on route to South Wales. UK Bank Holidays and other popular travel times can mean the M5 gets busy and can experience delays.

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Last updated by National Highways on 04/04/2024 01:05

A1(M) northbound within J45 (Boston Spa) • Congestion

M5 southbound between J23 (Bridgwater (N)) and J24 • Accident

M6 southbound at the hilton park services slip road between j11 and j10a • carriageway lane management, m25 anti-clockwise between j28 (brentwood / romford) and j27 (m11 j6 / epping) • incident.

Last updated by TWMC on 04/04/2024 01:05

No current traffic alerts for Wales

Last updated by TSCC on 04/04/2024 01:05

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Traffic alerts, news and travel information for all motorways and trunk roads are provided by National Highways, Traffic Wales Management Centre and Traffic Scotland Control Centre. They are updated every five minutes. The information detailed above is for unscheduled priority incidents only.

M5 traffic: Drivers warned of massive delays and congestion this week with Cheltenham Festival taking place

WATCH: The panel reacts to smart motorways

By Felix Reeves

Published: 11/03/2024

The busiest times for traffic are expected to be between 9.30am and 12.30pm each day

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Experts have warned drivers of traffic chaos for the rest of this week with a major festival taking place which could leave motorists delayed on the M5.

National Highways has issued a warning to Britons using the M5 this week to plan ahead given the increased traffic for the duration of the Cheltenham Festival.

Cheltenham will take place between Tuesday, March 12 and Friday, March 15, with more than 270,000 racegoers expected to attend throughout the week.

Friday is expected to see the worst traffic levels of the week as excited racing fans watch the Gold Cup centenary race.

Do you have a story you'd like to share? Get in touch by emailing [email protected]

Around 270,000 people could travel to the Cheltenham Festival

Expects have predicted that it could see 68,500 people attend on a single day with the busiest times set to be between 9.30am and 12.30pm each day.

Drivers could see potential delays on the M5 between J9 and J11, on the A40 west of Junction 11 and on the A46 east of Junction 9.

Kathryn Wiltshire, South West Network Resilience Planner for National Highways, said: “Junctions 10 and 11 of the M5 are likely to be busy on these days, particularly the Friday.

“Our aim is to keep the National Highways network running while keeping all road users safe and informed, and we’re advising all drivers to check our traffic and travel information channels, to plan ahead and allow plenty of time for their journeys.”

​ In the lead-up to the Cheltenham Festival, drivers using the M5 have already been hit with traffic delays after a collision involving two cars this morning.

Traffic was temporarily held on the M5, and stationary traffic had been seen after a collision on the M5 Southbound from J7 A44 (Worcester/Evesham) to J8 M50.

Footage from National Highways shows long delays with traffic at a standstill, with drivers being urged to avoid the area.

Inrix, the traffic reporting website, said: “A419 Southbound blocked, slow traffic due to accident between M5 J13 Stroud Interchange and Spring Hill.”

All lanes have since been re-opened although residual delays remain after the collision.

Millions of motorists will experience delays on another stretch of motorway when work takes place on the M25 at the end of this week.

From 9pm on Friday, March 15, to Monday, March 18 at 6am, the M25 will be shut between Junction 10 and Junction 11.

Drivers are being urged to only travel if it is absolutely necessary, with long delays possible as National Highways warning residents, holidaymakers, concertgoers and sports fans.

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Cheltenham Festival will start on Tuesday and end on Friday

Road traffic experts have also warned that other areas of the M25 and surrounding motorways will also feel the impact of the closure with “heavy congestion” expected.

This will be the first of five closures between March and September of this year.

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M5 J11 northbound access | Northbound | Road Works | Gloucestershire

M5 northbound within j9 | northbound | road works | gloucestershire, m5 northbound between j23 and j22 | northbound | road works | somerset.

Region | County: South West | Somerset Road Affected: M5 Description of incident: Location : The M5 northbound between junctions

M5 J21 northbound exit | Northbound | Road Works | North Somerset

Region | County: South West | North Somerset Road Affected: M5 Description of incident: Location : The M5 northbound exit

M5 northbound within J22 | Northbound | Road Works | Somerset

Region | County: South West | Somerset Road Affected: M5 Description of incident: Location : The M5 northbound at junction

M5 northbound within J21 | Northbound | Road Works | North Somerset

Region | County: South West | North Somerset Road Affected: M5 Description of incident: Location : The M5 northbound. Reason

M5 northbound at the Sedgemoor services between J22 and J21 | Northbound | Road Works | Somerset

M5 northbound at the sedgemoor services slip road between j22 and j21 | northbound | road works | somerset.

Region | County: South West | Somerset Road Affected: M5 Description of incident: Location : The M5 northbound exit slip

M5 northbound between J22 and J21 | Northbound | Road Works | North Somerset

Region | County: South West | North Somerset Road Affected: M5 Description of incident: Location : The M5 northbound between

M5 J5 southbound exit | Southbound | Road Works | Worcestershire

Region | County: West Midlands | Worcestershire Road Affected: M5 Description of incident: Location : The M5 southbound exit slip

M5 southbound between J4 and J4A | Southbound | Road Works | Worcestershire

Region | County: West Midlands | Worcestershire Road Affected: M5 Description of incident: Location : The M5 southbound between junctions

M5 northbound within J19 | Northbound | Road Works | North Somerset

Region | County: South West | North Somerset Road Affected: M5 Description of incident: Location : The M5 northbound at

M5 northbound between J19 and J18 | Northbound | Road Works | City of Bristol

Region | County: South West | City of Bristol Road Affected: M5 Description of incident: Location : The M5 northbound

M5 northbound between J14 and J13 | Northbound | Road Works | Gloucestershire

M5 j5 southbound access | southbound | road works | worcestershire.

Region | County: West Midlands | Worcestershire Road Affected: M5 Description of incident: Location : The M5 southbound entry slip

M5 J30 southbound exit | Southbound | Road Works | Devon

Region | County: South West | Devon Road Affected: M5 Description of incident: Location : The M5 southbound exit slip

Region | County: South West | Devon Road Affected: M5 Description of incident: Location : The M5 southbound between junctions

M5 southbound between J29 and J30 | Southbound | Road Works | Devon

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Region | County: South West | Devon Road Affected: M5 Description of incident: Location : The M5 southbound at junction

M5 J8 northbound access | Northbound | Road Works | Worcestershire

Region | County: West Midlands | Worcestershire Road Affected: M5 Description of incident: Location : The M5 northbound entry slip

M5 northbound between J30 and J29 | Northbound | Road Works | Devon

Region | County: South West | Devon Road Affected: M5 Description of incident: Location : The M5 northbound between junctions

M5 northbound within J29 | Northbound | Road Works | Devon

Region | County: South West | Devon Road Affected: M5 Description of incident: Location : The M5 northbound at junction

Watch CBS News

Flying during the solar eclipse? These airports could see delays, FAA says

By Khristopher J. Brooks

Edited By Anne Marie Lee

March 28, 2024 / 7:04 PM EDT / CBS News

Air travel was already expected to pick up next week because of Spring Break, but Federal Aviation Administration officials  said  now until mid-April will be increasingly busy due to "the Great North American Eclipse."

Many Americans are planning on flying on April 8, the day when the U.S. will experience a total solar eclipse that will track across the sky from Texas to Maine. While some eclipse chasers will be heading toward states in its main path, others are timing flights to view it while airborne.

The eclipse "will likely mean crowded parking lots at airports and long lines at security checkpoints," Marisa Garcia, a senior contributor at Forbes,  told  CBS News. 

"It's going to be hectic but fun," she added. "Go with the mindset that it's going to be busy and pack light and pack carefully. Be patient and pleasant with everyone."

Passengers on the day of the eclipse should expect air traffic delays and an unusually high number of drones in the skies, FAA Senior Technical Advisor Kevin Morris said in an advisory  video . 

According to the FAA, these airports could see delays on April 8:

• Little Rock, Arkansas
• Indianapolis
• Kansas City, Missouri
• Toledo, Ohio
• Erie, Pennsylvania
• Austin, Texas
• San Antonio, Texas
• Burlington, Vermont

Garcia said American Airlines could see the biggest delays at Dallas-Fort Worth, the airline's main hub, which is squarely within the eclipse's path of totality  — where it can be seen in full. 

Officials in Erie, Pennsylvania, said they expect roughly 250,000 people to flock to the area for the eclipse. Meanwhile, tourism for the big event is expected to bring $1 billion to Texas . 

• Federal Aviation Administration

Khristopher J. Brooks is a reporter for CBS MoneyWatch. He previously worked as a reporter for the Omaha World-Herald, Newsday and the Florida Times-Union. His reporting primarily focuses on the U.S. housing market, the business of sports and bankruptcy.

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‘Plan Ahead’: Baltimore Traffic Reporter on Congestion After Bridge Collapse

Tony Thornton looks ahead to years of crowded tunnels and highways with the loss of the Francis Scott Key Bridge.

• Share full article

By Adeel Hassan

When the Francis Scott Key Bridge was built in the 1970s, it was intended to relieve congestion from the Baltimore Harbor Tunnel.

Forty-seven years later, some of that traffic will be diverted back to the tunnel after the bridge collapsed last week upon being struck by a giant cargo ship, killing six construction workers. With the rebuilding process expected to take several years, that most likely means years of gridlock for commuters, travelers and truck drivers.

The flow of traffic through and around the city is taking on new patterns and shapes, as the 35,000 cars and trucks that once crossed the Key Bridge’s four lanes try alternative routes. The 1.6-mile bridge was the final link on Interstate 695, which loops around the city and is known as the Baltimore Beltway. The crossing’s overall structure, including its connecting approaches, was almost 11 miles long.

The bridge, a major north-south artery in one of the nation’s busiest ports, had connected working-class communities on either side, and it was used mainly by commuters. A former mayor called it the city’s “ blue-collar bridge .”

Most of its local drivers will merge with some of the out-of-town drivers traversing the city through the Harbor Tunnel, on Interstate 895, and the Fort McHenry Tunnel, on Interstate 95, underneath the city’s harbor and closer to Baltimore’s downtown.

As a morning traffic reporter for WBAL News Radio, Tony Thornton will be keeping a close eye on the snarled commutes. Mr. Thornton, who has lived in the area for about 40 years, uses scanners and cameras to get bird’s-eye views of the highways and byways.

He spoke to The Times about the Key Bridge, what drivers are facing and what may be ahead. This interview has been condensed and lightly edited for clarity.

What was it like on the morning of the bridge collapse?

I did my first traffic report, probably around 4:05. I figured out that they were detouring traffic off exit ramps prior to the bridge on each side. And I figured out where those points were. So now traffic had to be diverted to the tunnels.

And that’s tricky because the commercial trucks and tractor-trailers that have hazardous materials can’t go through the tunnels. They were used to taking the Francis Scott Key Bridge. So now I have to actually tell truckers the height or the clearance of the tunnel and direct them to the other side of the beltway. You’re talking about an additional 20 to 25 miles just for that.

What have you seen on the roads since then?

An increase in traffic, in the tunnels, especially heading south into the tunnels. And that traffic delay has been starting earlier than usual.

So, typically, we would see a little bit of congestion in the tunnels around 8 in the morning. I’ve seen that now as early as 6 in the morning. It actually almost triples the time it takes for traffic to go through the tunnels.

What I’ve seen on cameras, if you’re heading into the city, approaching the tunnels, is a lot more police presence. Just on the side, just making sure traffic is OK and responding to any accident or incident quickly. You can tell they want to clear the roadway off as quickly as possible, to make sure that traffic continues to flow. It’s a lot, lot quicker than they have been in the past.

Who has been most affected?

A lot of the commercial truckers, a lot of people that work in the ports, a lot of residents that live in that area rely on that bridge. It’s more just workers, folks that are heading to the ports, or folks that are looking to utilize the industry.

And it’s a 24/7 type of industry, too, so it’s always busy. It was just fortunate that at the time of the bridge collapse the Maryland Department of Transportation was able to stop traffic, and it wasn’t as busy at 1:30 in the morning. If that happened an hour and a half later, who knows?

What are you looking ahead to this week?

It was spring break for a lot of the local school districts last week. I’m looking for more of an impact. You already have the normal traffic volume around the beltway. That’s probably going to begin to double now because schools are going to be back.

During a typical school day, I will see traffic starting to build around the Baltimore Beltway around between 6:00 and 6:30. But I anticipate not only having that traffic, but also having additional traffic going through both of the tunnels now, because that’s going to be the way of life.

So now you’re going to have that increased traffic around the beltway, as well as increased traffic in both the Baltimore Harbor Tunnel and the Fort McHenry Tunnel. And, as you know, Interstate 95 comes from New Jersey, down through Philadelphia, Baltimore, Washington. It’s all just one big, big, big corridor there.

What’s your advice for drivers?

You’re going to have to plan ahead. If your normal commute takes you 30 to 45 minutes, you may have to leave 10 to 15 minutes earlier than usual because of the traffic delays starting earlier now.

For truck drivers or commercial drivers, just heed the hazardous materials warnings. If you have any type of hazardous materials, they will literally turn you around, and you have to exit onto a side road, and you will not be able to take the tunnels.

Have some patience. It is a very, very scenic ride driving through Baltimore city. You’ll be able to see a lot of the sights, whether you see the stadiums, Camden Yards, M&T Bank Stadium, you’ll see the skyline of Baltimore. Baltimore is a very beautiful city.

Adeel Hassan is a reporter and editor on the National Desk. He is a founding member of Race/Related , and much of his work focuses on identity and discrimination. He started the Morning Briefing for NYT Now and was its inaugural writer. He also served as an editor on the International Desk.  More about Adeel Hassan

M6 live closure near Ikea Wednesbury as traffic queues stretch over four miles to Birmingham

M6 closed by Wednesbury's busy shopping park and Walsall FC's Poundland Bescot Stadium with Ikea Birmingham and lengthy tailbacks back to Great Barr and West Bromwich

• Updated 17:51, 1 APR 2024

Welcome to our live blog with updates on traffic delays by one of the region's busiest shopping parks in the Black Country. The M6 northbound has been shut suddenly at just after 11am this morning(Monday, April 1).

A car fire initially caused the M6 closure at Junction 9 for Wednesbury , where the shopping park with Ikea Birmingham is based and close to Walsall FC's Poundland Bescot Stadium that is hosting a match against Salford City at 3pm today.

The stretch of motorway remained closed up to Junction 10 for Walsall and Wolverhampton for several hours as diesel spillage caused by the car fire meant a large scale clean-up operation needed to take place before it could reopen.

READ MORE: BBC This Town where it's filmed - every location across Birmingham and West Midlands

Bank holiday shoppers, football fans and motorists on the M6 in the Midlands are being warned to expect at least 30 minutes of delays. Queues are already over four miles back to Great Barr.

Traffic queues also lead back to the M5 at West Bromwich, which leads on to the M6 at Wednesbury. Some were stuck in jams for at least an hour.

Stay with us for latest traffic updates on this story as it develops.

• All lanes on M6 have been reopened but delays will remain for short time 15:34
• Walsall Football Club fans warned to "be mindful" of M6 traffic delays ahead of kick-off 12:52
• Shoppers to Ikea Birmingham and Wednesbury shopping park caught up in M6 traffic chaos 12:40
• Diesel spillage on M6 by Wednesbury shopping park causing traffic chaos 12:11
• M6 closure causing lengthy tailbacks for over four miles 12:04

End of updates

Thank you for joining our live blog updates. All lanes at the M6 Junction 9 to 10 have now reopened following the car fire and diesel spillage today. Safe travels if you are out on the roads today.

All lanes on M6 have been reopened but delays will remain for short time

All lanes at the M6 Junction 9 to 10 have now reopened following a car fire and diesel spillage today.

Tailbacks went up to four miles as traffic has been affected on the M5 and M6 to Great Barr.

National Highways has just fully reopened the northbound carriageway at Wednesbury to Walsall. Some delays may linger for a short period as traffic returns to normal.

Traffic was first held on the M6 at just before midday today. The incident will have caused disruption for around four hours on a busy Bank Holiday Monday.

Delays down to 30 minutes on M6 and M5

Traffic delays on the M6 between Junction 7 to 10 including Great Barr,Wednesbury and Walsall are now said to be down to 30 minute queues.

One lane is open while others are closed for a diesel spillage clean-up operation.

Highways chiefs also said that they expect traffic to return to normal on the M6 and M5 from Junction 1 in the coming hour.

Picture of M6 queues next to Ikea Birmingham

Traffic is shown at a standstill onthe M6 in front of Ikea Birmingham at Wednesbury in this recent motorway camera image below.

Motorists have been forced to wait at Junction 9 of the M6 northbound until a specialist cleaning machine could arrive.

Delays currently stand at around 45 minutes. One lane is open.

M6 and M5 delays now 45 minutes as road cleaning equipment arrives

A new update has said that a specialist hydroblaster is now on scene at the closed M6 between Junctions 9 and 10 on the northbound carriageway.

It is helping to clear up spilled diesel that poses a danger to other motorists at the junction between Wednesbury and Walsall.

National Highways said: "A hydroblaster is now on scene to try and clean the road surface. There's a 45 minute delay with four miles of congestion."

M6 and M5 delays - highways workers waiting for specialist clean up machine

An update on the M6 diesel spillage said that three of the four lanes on the northbound carriageway remained closed.

A car fire and spillage is causing lengthy delays from Walsall J10 and Wednesbury J9 back to the M5 at West Bromwich and the M6 towards Birmingham.

National Highways said: "A specialist hydroblaster is en-route to scene to clean the road surface.

"There are severe delays on approach."

Walsall Football Club fans warned to "be mindful" of M6 traffic delays ahead of kick-off

Transport for West Midlands has warned Walsall Football Club fans to take heed of M6 traffic issues ahead of today's match at the Poundland Bescot Stadium.

The League 2 home game is against Salford City at 3pm but the northbound Walsall and Wednesbury junctions of the M6 closest to the football ground are currently closed.

There are also lengthy traffic queues adding at least 30 minutes on to journey times.

West Midlands Roads, which is part of Transport for West Midlands family, said: "Delays of around 60 minutes, back through J7 at Great Barr also likely to impact local routes around J9, which will also be busy around Bank Holiday shopping.

"Be mindful if travelling by road for the Walsall FC match with a 3pm kick off."

Shoppers to Ikea Birmingham and Wednesbury shopping park caught up in M6 traffic chaos

The M6 closure is at Junction 9 for Wednesbury's shopping park with popular stores including Ikea Birmingham, Next, Decathlon and B&Q.

Bank Holiday shoppers and DIY enthusiasts flock to the shops at Axletree Way, many of them using the M6 to reach it.

Delays are up to at least 30 minutes along the M5 and M6 northbound heading towards the Wednesbury junction. The M6 is shut from there up to J10 for Walsall and Wolverhampton.

M5 and M6 traffic delays expected until 1.30pm

A fresh update has been given on traffic congestion on the M5 at Junction 1 leading northbound on to the M6 and the M6 northbound carriageway tailbacks from Birmingham.

National Highways reported that it doesn't expect normal traffic conditions to return until between 1.15pm and 1.30pm.

They added that there is currently delays of 30 minutes against expected traffic.

Diesel spillage on M6 by Wednesbury shopping park causing traffic chaos

A car fire on the M6 is causing huge traffic disruption as it has also led to a "large diesel spillage".

Police held all traffic on the M6 northbound carriageway between Junction 9 for Wednesbury and J10 for Walsall at shortly after 11am this morning.

After battling flames, fire crews also noticed the spillage, meaning the M6 will be closed for longer than expected.

A National Highways spokesperson said: "Traffic remains held on the M6 northbound in the West Midlands between J9 for Wednesbury and J10 for Walsall following a car fire.

"The vehicle has been extinguished however there is a large diesel spillage across the carriageway so we are unable to let traffic past at this time."

M6 closure causing lengthy tailbacks for over four miles

The M6 northbound at Junction 9 for Wednesbury has been closed to deal with a vehicle fire, police said.

Officers warned to expect at least 30 minutes of delays but traffic queus are already forming for four miles towards Great Barr and West Bromwich.

Police said that further complications meant that traffic was still being held.

• Midlands traffic and travel
• Black Country
• West Bromwich
• Wolverhampton
• bank holiday
• Most Recent

Live: M5 long delays following crash heading into Devon

There is queuing traffic on the M5 Southbound near Junction 25 following the collision

• Updated 10:12, 28 MAR 2024

There are long delays on the M5 heading towards Devon following a crash involving two vehicles this morning (Thursday, March 28). There is queuing traffic on the M5 Southbound near Taunton at Junction 25 following the collision

Google Maps is showing very slow traffic in that area. No further details of the collision or if anyone was injured in the incident are yet known.

Lanes are beginning to reopen. But delays of around 20 minutes remain.

Traffic site Inrix has reported: "Cameras show all lanes are now open after the road was blocked for around 20 minutes. Residual delays remain."

This is a live blog. Scroll down for updates and we will publish the latest information as we get it.

• M5 UPDATE 10:10

Traffic cameras show the queues

Normal traffic conditions are expected between 10:30 and 10:45 according to Motoway Cameras

• Traffic & Travel
• Most Recent

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Traveling for the solar eclipse? Prepare for flight delays and traffic jams

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Eclipse superfans aren't just traveling to see the rare astronomical event taking place next week; they're purchasing flight tickets that fly along the path of totality to catch a closer glimpse of the remarkable phenomenon.

We speak with Here & Now transportation analyst Seth Kaplan about how these flights work and what travelers can expect.

This segment aired on April 3, 2024.

More from Here & Now

Solar eclipse 2024 expected to cause major traffic jams, possible flight delays

The Great North American Eclipse also may turn out to be the Great North American Traffic Jam.

That’s what federal agencies are warning, anyway, with millions of folks preparing to witness the astronomical phenomenon next Monday on the ground in the path of totality and in the sky aboard flights that they booked to get a better glimpse of the sun, or rather not to see the sun.

And there’s some history back up that its likely: It's what happened during the eclipse in 2017 .

How should Americans prepare for traffic jams?

To help prevent problems, the American Automobile Association offered some warnings and tips about driving during the eclipse. Most of them are common sense, like: Don’t drive and watch the eclipse at the same time, don’t drive with eclipse glasses on and avoid congested roads.

"Pack your patience,” Aixa Diaz, a spokesperson for AAA, told USA TODAY , adding that many folks are expected to be on the roads “whether traveling a great distance” or locally “out and about to catch a glimpse of the eclipse.”

What time is the solar eclipse? Search your ZIP code for a viewing guide.

A full tank of gas — or full electric charge — is a good idea, too.

The total solar eclipse is special because the geographical path in which it will be visible, running from Mazatlán, Mexico, to Channel-Port aux Basques, Canada, and through a small corner of Michigan, is a rare event.

Years of planning

Some of the people who want to see the eclipse ― considering it a once-in-a-lifetime event ― have been planning to do so for months, even years. The calculations for where the exact path will be is based on math and may vary slightly depending on whose numbers you use.

Of course, just like you learned as a kid, you shouldn't look at the sun directly. You'll need special dark glasses , which, aren't safe to wear while driving or walking around because they are so dark to protect your eyes form the sun's rays you can hardly see anything.

2024 solar eclipse: Where to get free eclipse glasses, how to know they're safe

The federal authorities, both the Federal Highway Administration and the Federal Aviation Administration, have warned that there likely will be gridlock on the roads and air traffic delays at airports.

Depending on where you are in North America, the moment the sun goes dark varies . In Michigan, the eclipse is expected to start at about 2 p.m., and end at about 4:30 p.m. When the sun does dark, which, get this, is estimated to be at 3:13 p.m. in Michigan, expect the temperature to drop a few degrees.

It takes about 2½ hours for the moon to pass in front of the sun, gradually blotting it out and revealing it.

"While an estimated 32 million people live within the path of totality, millions more will travel to see the event firsthand," Shailen Bhatt, administrator of the Federal Highway Administration, said in a  video last month. "This rare event may be a once-in-a-lifetime for some but could have widespread impacts on the traveling public."

He urged planning ahead and staying put to avoid traffic congestion.

In 2017, the last time there was a total solar eclipse in America, congestion in some areas reportedly lasted up to 13 hours after the eclipse, according to Transportation Research News . An analysis of the traffic found the worst gridlock was just after the eclipse ended because everyone tried to leave at one time.

Construction in Luna Pier

In Luna Pier, one of the few Michigan cities where the total eclipse is expected to be visible, there’s an added problem.

The Interstate 75 overpass that visitors would use to enter and exit the city of about 1,400 people is under construction and closed until the summer, so, if there's too big a crowd, more than say, 1,000 people, in Luna Pier, officials there said it will clog the roadways and create a safety hazard.

As for those taking to the air, the FAA and Department of Transportation also have issued warnings.

More: Excitement for 2024 solar eclipse has been building for years in Luna Pier

The FAA noted that in early April people are heading to their favorite vacation destinations, while on top of that, “a significant number of travelers are heading to various states to witness  ‘The Great North American Eclipse’ ”

Flight delays

Airlines, like Delta, have added special, sold-out flights just for eclipse viewing.

"Travelers flying along the eclipse path may encounter limited parking and potential delays at airports due to the high volume of aircraft and drones attempting to witness the total solar eclipse," the agency said . "The FAA wants pilots to be aware of possible impacts to air traffic and airports along the eclipse path and is offering guidance to commercial planes and private aircraft ahead of their flights to witness the phenomenon."

On top of that, the transportation department issued similar warnings to pilots, urging them to be prepared for airborne holding patterns, rerouting and for aircraft departing airports along the eclipse path to coordinate their departure times as early as possible.

The key to making it through the day, the feds said, is to allow for extra time at the airport and " be patient ."  

Contact Frank Witsil: 313-222-5022 or [email protected].