Christmas travel LIVE: Traffic chaos across UK today as ‘Great Festive Getaway’ begins
Motorway closures, train cancellations and long queues at the ferry channel crossing are causing huge disruptions as the start of the Christmas[1] getaway begins. Unscheduled industrial action by French workers has meant the Channel Tunnel rail link was closed yesterday, has been blamed on a massive surge in demand for ferries, with the port of Dover in Kent struggling to keep up, and taking 90 minutes to process cars with pre-booked tickets. Eurostar, which operates passenger services to and from London St Pancras, said it will operate two extra services per day between London and Paris up to and including Christmas Eve to help people whose trains were cancelled on Thursday, but thousands are facing disuption.
The vehicle-carrying train service Eurotunnel said it is running its usual timetable but is only accepting customers who have pre-booked, despite the chaos elsewhere. The M20 motorway in Kent remains closed in the coastbound direction between junctions 8 and 9 due to Operation Brock, which involves organising a queue for freight traffic during disruption to cross-Channel services. Traffic hotspots are expected on the M25 : clockwise between junction 7 (for the M23/Gatwick Airport) and junction 16 (for the M40/Birmingham); and anti-clockwise between junction 17 (Rickmansworth) and junction 12 (for the M3).
Other motorway stretches expected to see long queues included the M1 north from Woburn, Bedfordshire, to Daventry, Northamptonshire, and the M6 south from Wigan, Greater Manchester, to Stafford, Staffordshire.
(AP)09:46Kelly-Ann Mills
Domestic train services cancelled
On the trains disruption from strong winds remains following chaos caused by Storm Pia on Thursday, affecting train services in the north. There are no LNER trains serving Inverness this morning. ScotRail services remain suspended between Inverness and Wick, Tain, Ardgay and Lairg.
Southeastern has also said it was forced to cancel a number of trains, but this is due to “a shortage of available train crew”. There will be no service on the Sheerness line after 10am for the rest of the day, and there are cancellations on the high speed line to and from London St Pancras throughout the day.
09:45Kelly-Ann Mills
Large queues are seen at St Pancras
Travellers queue for the Eurostar at St Pancras Station in London, Friday, Dec.
22, 2023 (AP)09:44Kelly-Ann Mills
Travel early or late to avoid traffic
The RAC estimated 13.5 million leisure journeys by car would take place across the UK between Friday and Sunday, up 20% on the three days before Christmas Day last year. Road congestion is likely to peak today as drivers embarking on leisure trips competed for road space with commuters and business traffic.
Motorists were advised to travel before 11am or after 6pm if possible to reduce the chance of being stuck in long queues.
09:43Kelly-Ann Mills
Motorway closures
The M62 motorway has been closed since about 11pm yesterday, between junctions 21 – near Rochdale, Greater Manchester – and 22 – near Sowerby Bridge, West Yorkshire – due to a police investigation following a crash in which a 19-year-old, male car passenger was killed. Greater Manchester Police[2] said it arrested the 19-year-old driver of the car – which crossed from the westbound carriage onto the eastbound section – on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving.
09:42Kelly-Ann Mills
Dover is gridlocked this morning
And Dover Town gridlocked !!!
AGAIN!!
Where are police or traffic wardens please ??
— Gill (@Gillywigs2806) December 22, 2023[3]
References
- ^ Christmas (www.mirror.co.uk)
- ^ Greater Manchester Police (www.mirror.co.uk)
- ^ December 22, 2023 (twitter.com)