Drivers have been warned to expect heavy traffic on the roads this Bank Holiday weekend, as the AA and RAC predict it to be the busiest in years. With an estimated 20 million journeys set to take place, travel plans have been thrown into chaos due to thieves targeting signalling cables at one of the UK’s busiest rail lines.
The attempted heist occurred between Birmingham New Street and Wolverhampton on the West Coast Main Line, resulting in long delays and cancellations for trains from five different firms. Although National Rail initially stated that the disruption had ended in the early hours of the morning, they later issued an update stating that it had re-occurred. As a result, trains are expected to be affected until at least 1pm this afternoon, and passengers are advised to check their journeys before traveling.
As day trippers look to make the most of the sunny weather this weekend, temperatures are expected to peak at 23C in some areas before showers return next week. However, these issues with the rail lines are also affecting passengers traveling with Avanti West Coast, CrossCountry, London Northwestern Railway, Transport for Wales, and West Midlands Railway. Additionally, many train services will be affected as Network Rail carries out engineering projects.
The routes that will be affected include Avanti West Coast between London Euston and various destinations, CrossCountry between multiple locations, London Northwestern Railway between Birmingham New Street and various destinations, Transport for Wales between Birmingham International and various destinations, and West Midlands Railway between Birmingham New Street and Wolverhampton, as well as other locations.
UK Set for Sunny Bank Holiday Weekend
The Met Office has forecasted dry spells across all regions of the UK this weekend, with the sunniest and driest periods expected on Saturday. Deputy chief meteorologist Mark Sidaway has stated that Saturday will be particularly pleasant in the sunshine for many. Although Sunday and bank holiday Monday may see some showers, there will still be dry spells in between, making it a great opportunity to enjoy the outdoors. Sidaway also mentioned the possibility of heavy, possibly thundery showers on both days, but reassured that there will be some pleasant warmth in any sunshine.
Traffic and Travel Expectations
The RAC has predicted that over 20 million leisure trips will be made by car between Friday and bank holiday Monday, making it the busiest late May bank holiday weekend since 2019. Additionally, aviation analytics company Cirium has stated that Friday will be the busiest day for UK airports since October 2019, with over 3,150 departing flights scheduled. From Saturday to Monday, a total of 8,486 flights are expected to depart, offering more than 1.5 million seats. Popular international destinations for UK departures include Dublin, Amsterdam, Palma, Alicante, and Malaga.
