Easter getaway scramble begins: Drivers face 'carmageddon' on the roads with 14 ... trends now
The Easter getaway began today with drivers warned to expect 'carmageddon' as families on leisure journeys compete for road space with regular commuters.
Some 14million getaway trips across the weekend are set to cause gridlock on the roads, with some journeys expected to take twice as long as normal because the bank holiday coincides with the start of a two-week holiday for many schools.
The RAC and transport analysis company Inrix estimated two million trips will take place today, with the worst congestion anticipated to be between 2pm and 7pm.
The busiest route is expected to be the western section of the M25 between the M23 for Gatwick Airport and the M1 for Hertfordshire. Journeys on this stretch from 4pm are expected to take over two hours, which is more than twice as long as usual.
Meanwhile the Port of Dover warned those catching a ferry today that sea conditions in the English Channel were 'rough with a strong south-easterly breeze, force six'.
Journeys could also be delayed due to extra border security checks by the French after the concert hall attack in Moscow last Friday that killed more than 130 people.
It comes as the Met Office warned heavy rain and strong winds could cause travel chaos to Britons and even pose a risk to life in the run-up to the Easter weekend.
Holidaymakers face early morning queues at Bristol Airport today as the getaway begins
Air passengers queue for bag drop at the easyJet desks at Bristol Airport early this morning
Traffic on the A102(M) Blackwall Tunnel approach today in Greenwich, South East London
A yellow wind warning for gusts of up to 70mph was imposed from 7am to 6pm today for most of the south coast of England, from East Sussex to Cornwall.
Rail travel will also be disrupted by engineering works, with the southern section of the West Coast Main Line closed between tomorrow and Easter Monday.
Tourist board VisitEngland said around 11million people in the UK are planning an overnight Easter trip, generating an estimated £3.2billion boost to the economy.
The RAC and transport analysis company Inrix commissioned a survey which suggested 2.6million leisure journeys by car will be made on Good Friday.
Some 2.3million getaway trips are planned for each of Easter Saturday and Easter Sunday, with 2.0million set to take place on each of Thursday and Easter Monday.
A further 3.3million Easter leisure journeys have been planned by drivers who are undecided exactly what day they will travel, leading to a total of around 14.5million getaway trips between Thursday and Easter Monday.
On Good Friday, the lengthiest delays are expected to be between 11am and 3pm, meaning drivers are advised to set off as early as possible in the morning or wait until later in the afternoon.
TODAY: Wet and windy conditions are expected to hit many parts of Britain throughout today
GOOD FRIDAY FORECAST: Showers and breezy conditions for Britain this Friday with 14C highs
GOOD FRIDAY: The Met Office has warned of 'unsettled' weather for much of Europe this week
EASTER SATURDAY: Spain and Portugal are likely to see thunderstorms and strong winds
Two popular routes for holidaymakers - the M5 southbound between Bristol and Taunton, and the M3 between the M25 and the south coast - are likely to be congested, with estimated journey times more than double what they normally are.
RAC Breakdown spokesperson Alice Simpson said: 'With Easter falling earlier than usual at the start of the school holidays, it could be carmageddon for holidaymakers.
'Anyone who can delay leaving on Thursday until much later in the evening or set off as early as possible on Good Friday is likely to have a better journey than those who travel during the peak periods of the day.
'Lengthy queues can be expected along routes to the usual hotspots like the West Country, the Lake District and the south coast, especially during the middle of the day when most people make trips.'
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