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Millions of Easter travellers across the UK could face significant disruptions due to a combination of rail engineering work, airport strikes, heavy road traffic, and unsettled weather conditions.
As the Easter weekend approaches, UK travel plans may be thrown into chaos with over 300 engineering projects scheduled on the railways, an airport strike at Gatwick, and warnings of major congestion on the roads.
Network Rail has announced essential maintenance across the country, including the full closure of London Euston Station from Saturday to Monday. This will disrupt services to Milton Keynes, with trains on the West Coast Main Line terminating at Carlisle and replacement buses covering the northern stretch.
Other key closures include parts of London Victoria, rerouting Southeastern services to London Bridge and Cannon Street, and disruptions near Southampton and Brockenhurst. While over 95% of the rail network remains operational, passengers are advised to check routes and schedules in advance.
On the roads, nearly 20 million people are expected to travel on Good Friday alone, according to RAC and AA estimates. Traffic jams are forecast in key areas such as the M6 near Birmingham and Blackpool, the M25 (south and west sections), the M5 around Bristol, and the A303 in Wiltshire. Despite efforts by National Highways to lift roadworks from over 1,100 miles of motorways and A roads, heavy congestion is still anticipated.
Adding to the travel strain, Gatwick Airport is facing potential delays due to industrial action by ground-handling staff at Red Handling UK. Airlines such as Delta, TAP, Norwegian, and Ethiopian Airlines may see baggage delays for up to 50 flights, though no major disruptions have been reported yet.
Weather is another concern. The Met Office has issued yellow warnings for heavy rain across parts of south-west England, south Wales, and eastern Northern Ireland, valid into Saturday. While Good Friday will bring drier conditions to eastern England, other areas may experience localised flooding and hazardous driving conditions. The weather is expected to improve slightly over the rest of the weekend.
Travellers are urged to stay updated, plan ahead, and allow extra time for their journeys.
