Weather warnings for strong winds have been issued across parts of the UK as millions of people prepare for travel ahead of Christmas.
Motoring experts predict this will be the busiest travel weekend of the year, with the RAC cautioning that it could be a “physically exhausting experience” and advising drivers to “exercise patience.”
Network Rail has also raised concerns that the strong winds could severely disrupt train services, with delays and cancellations likely.
According to the Met Office, gusts could reach up to 80mph in the far north of Scotland, while other areas may experience winds between 50-60mph.
A yellow weather warning, which began at 07:00 GMT on Saturday, will remain in place until 21:00 GMT on Sunday. The warning covers Scotland, North West and North East England, as well as parts of Wales and Northern Ireland.
Winds are expected to intensify on Saturday, with the affected areas expanding on Sunday to include South West England, Derbyshire, Hampshire, parts of the West Midlands, Yorkshire, and all of Wales and Northern Ireland.
“Dangerous coastal conditions can be expected too, with large waves an additional hazard,” the Met Office added.
Transport Scotland has warned that road, rail, air, and ferry services are all likely to be impacted by the severe weather, with potential cancellations and restrictions on bridge crossings.
“With the weekend bringing a mix of strong winds along with heavy, and in some places wintry, showers, it’s going to make many of the estimated seven million getaway trips by car a pretty exhausting experience,” RAC spokesman Rod Dennis said.
ScotRail has announced that speed restrictions are currently in effect on several routes, resulting in delays of up to 30 minutes or changes to scheduled timetables.
Speaking on radio programme, Mr. Dennis predicted that traffic will be heaviest on Saturday and Christmas Eve.
He noted that on Saturday, the busiest travel times will likely be between 11:00 GMT and 16:00 to 18:00, advising drivers to “exercise patience” during these peak hours.
“These are journeys that matter to us this time of year, don’t expect to get there the minute your sat-nav says you will. Allow yourself a bit of time to make it easy and get there safely.”
Nearly 14 million drivers are expected to take to the roads during the weekend – a new record, according to the RAC.
It predicts that congestion hotspots could include:
- Both directions of the M1 to Gatwick via the M25 and the M23
- Liverpool to Chester on the M53
- Oxford to the south coast via the A34 and the M3
- The M25 to the south coast along the M3
- The Taunton to Almondsbury Interchange in Bristol heading down the M5.
The winds are expected to subside by Monday, but according to Met Office meteorologist Alex Deakin, the UK can forget about a white Christmas. Instead, he predicted a “grey Christmas” with mild temperatures, cloud cover, and rain moving in.
In addition to the weather disruptions, rail services are also being impacted, as the first of the festive period closures began on Saturday. A section of the Midland Main Line between London St Pancras and Bedford will be closed until December 29 due to £29 million worth of engineering works.
This will affect travel to Luton Airport. Other stations, including Paddington and Liverpool Street in London, and areas like Cambridge and Crewe, will also see disruptions due to ongoing projects.
Robert Nisbet, Director of Nations and Regions at the Rail Delivery Group, explained that these closures are planned to minimize disruption as the festive period generally sees fewer travelers.
“The reliability of services is not where we want it to be across the network, we as an industry hold up our hands up to that… but in many cases it is because of the infrastructure,” he said.
Robert Nisbet explained that the planned “essential engineering works and upgrades” are necessary to improve rail services and reliability. He added that these works are scheduled during the Christmas period because it is typically a time when fewer people are traveling.
Meanwhile, the Port of Dover anticipates around 25,000 cars will pass through the port this weekend.
