Travel news: Christmas chaos as London trains halted and queues on roads – live

The AA has issued an Amber Traffic Warning right now with greater than 16.4 million vehicles anticipated to journey on today, inflicting prolonged jams at site visitors hotspots.

The AA president Edmund King stated: “While Friday 22 December and Saturday 23 December look set to be the busiest travelling days, the unsettled weather forecast could lead to additional delays so drivers should drive to the conditions and slow down where necessary.”

Amongst many different locations, this can have an effect on journeys to South Wales, Bristol, the West Country and Heathrow Airport; additionally Edinburgh, Leeds, Newcastle and Peterborough.

If you have been planning on travelling to those locations on Christmas Eve, you’ll have to make use of alternative buses, use providers from various London terminals, and presumably change trains at least one time throughout your journey.

Many prepare providers will not be operating as late as common, so passengers are suggested to examine their journey earlier than they journey.

Chaos unfolded yesterday when a shock strike hit Eurotunnel prepare providers, no less than 30 trains have been cancelled on Thursday with providers not resuming till Friday.

Eurostar, which operates passenger rail providers to and from London St Pancras, is working two further trains per day between London and Paris together with on Christmas Eve to assist folks whose trains have been cancelled on Thursday.

Vehicle-carrying prepare service Eurotunnel is operating its common timetable however is simply accepting clients who’ve pre-booked.

Motorists have been suggested to journey earlier than 11am or after 6pm to cut back the possibilities of being caught on the street.

The RAC estimated 13.5 million leisure journeys by automobile would happen throughout the UK between Friday and Sunday, up 20 per cent on the three days earlier than Christmas Day final 12 months.

Storm Pia has unleashed Christmas journey chaos as flights are grounded resulting from excessive winds, after a sudden French strike pressured the Eurotunnel to shut on Thursday.

The Met Office has warned Christmas Eve journey plans could possibly be affected with heavy winds set to batter components of the nation.

Gusts as excessive as 70mph are resulting from hit the north of Scotland and northern and central areas of England.

Two separate yellow climate warnings for wind have been issued, saying folks ought to anticipate journey disruption, harm to buildings and energy cuts, whereas the remainder of the nation may even see showers.

Meteorologist Liam Eslick stated: “People ought to be sure to depart extra time, particularly in uncovered areas, it may have an effect on rail networks and ferries.

“People travelling on roads ought to take care and avoid excessive-sided automobiles, and for people who find themselves at house and are going for walks, avoid coasts.”

Drivers are being warned to anticipate delays on the A1 in Northumberland after a critical crash.

The street was closed in each instructions on Saturday morning after the incident, which occurred between the A1167 and B1340 close to Belford.

Drivers are being warned to anticipate delays on the A1 in Northumberland after a critical crash.

The street was closed in each instructions on Saturday morning after the incident, which occurred between the A1167 and B1340 close to Belford.

Christmas getaway journey disruption is predicted, with tens of millions of automobile journeys underneath method and main London railway stations set to shut on Sunday.

The AA estimated that 16.4 million automobile journeys will happen on Saturday and warned of “lengthy jams”.

And rail disruption is probably going on Christmas Eve as two of London’s railway stations, King’s Cross and Paddington, will probably be shut resulting from engineering works.

The closure of London Paddington will proceed till Wednesday, which means no mainline trains will serve Heathrow Airport.

Christmas Day may attain document temperatures, with solely the Scottish mountains more likely to see snow, the Met Office has stated.

The forecaster stated December 25 will probably be damp and windy however particularly gentle, with highs of 13C or 14C.

The hottest Christmas Day on document was 15.6C in 1920, so there’s a “small chance” of it being a document, the Met Office added.

Meteorologist Liam Eslick stated there could also be snow on Christmas Day on mountains in Scotland, however it’s “not looking likely that there will be a white Christmas in England”.

Good information for these crossing the channel- the queues have lastly subsided.