Traffic news live: Easter travellers warned of train chaos and airport strikes with 19 million to hit UK roads

Some 11,282 flights are scheduled to depart UK airports between Good Friday and Monday, according to aviation analytics company Cirium.

But those flying from Gatwick could face “major disruption” as members of Unite working for ground handling firm Red Handling plan to strike.

Staff walking out include baggage handlers, check-in staff and flight dispatchers for airlines including Norwegian, Delta, TAP and Air Peace.

“As the workers handle about 50 flights a day, the strike action will cause major disruption for holidaymakers planning getaways that weekend with expected flight delays, cancellations, long queues at check-in and baggage delays,” Unite said.

Traffic queues are already forming along major routes including the A2 and M25 for the Dartford Crossing, as people try to get ahead of the 19 million people who are estimated to drive on Good Friday.

The AA and RAC agree the busiest day over the Easter spell will be Thursday, with 19.8 million motorists in their vehicles at some stage of the day.

Good Friday looks almost as busy. Easter Sunday will see the lightest traffic.

For holiday journeys within the UK, The Independent has used data from previous years to predict the heaviest traffic on four key arteries:

• M6 north of Birmingham, especially Preston and beyond as holidaymakers head for Blackpool and the Lake District.
• M5 southwest from Birmingham to Bristol and Exeter
• A303 southwest through Wiltshire
• M25 particularly between the M23 and M40 junctions to the southwest, and the Dartford Crossing to the east.

Britons hoping to escape to some of the UK’s top staycation spots for an Easter break have been told to expect disruptive heavy rain.

The Met Office has issued a yellow weather warning for the southwest of England on Friday, covering tourist hotspots including Cornwall, Devon, Plymouth and Torbay.

The forecasters warned that a prolonged spell of rain, some of it heavy, will likely cause difficult driving conditions and some disruption to travel as millions hit the road over the Bank Holiday weekend.

Aviation analytics firm Cirium says Good Friday, 18 April, will be the busiest day overall, with 2,949 flights taking off from UK airports – a departure every 30 seconds on average.

Britain’s biggest budget airline, easyJet, confirms its busiest day will be Good Friday.

The carrier plans more than 1,100 flights to or from UK airports carrying up to 145,000 passengers.

The top sunshine destinations are Dalaman in Turkey and the Spanish islands of Mallorca and Tenerife.

But with air traffic control centres across Europe still chronically short of staff, holidaymakers face the worst disruption caused by congestion in the skies in a quarter-century.

Ryanair says 36.2 million of its passengers have been impacted by air traffic control restrictions in the last year, with more than 200,000 flights delayed.

Travellers to and from France and Spain are worst affected.

Drivers face a “hat-trick of hold-ups” as the bank holiday weekend coincides with the end of the Easter holidays for many schools, a motoring organisation warned.

RAC breakdown spokesperson Alice Simpson urged drivers to expect “extremely high levels of traffic from Thursday onwards”.

She said: “The late bank holiday weekend clashes with the end of the Easter break for many schools – which we think will change the nature of this year’s getaway.

“Although journey numbers are still very high, we’re anticipating more day trips and weekend breaks than people heading off on one and two-week stints.

“This could lead to a hat-trick of hold-ups on Thursday, Friday and Saturday as drivers visit family and friends.”

More than 1,000 miles of roadworks in England will be lifted to ease the Easter getaway, the Department for Transport has announced.

National Highways will remove roadworks from 1,127 miles of motorways and major A roads by 6am on Thursday, meaning 97.5 per cent of its network will be free of traffic cones.

They will not be reinstated until after Easter Monday.

A flood warning has been issued in Devon following a night of heavy rain in the county.

The Environment Agency issued the warning for the lower River Torridge, from Dolton to Bideford, including Taddiport and Weare Giffard.

It said properties in low-lying areas are at risk of flooding after river levels rose to just below 11ft (3.3m).

Devon County Council’s highways team said it received reports of trees down on roads including the A396 in Bampton, the A3072 near Crediton, and the A375 in Gittisham.

The RAC warned that if the forecast heavy rain on Good Friday hits the South West of England and South Wales then there could be widespread disruption.

Britons hoping to escape to some of the UK’s top staycation spots for an Easter break have been told to expect disruptive heavy rain.

The Met Office has issued a yellow weather warning for the south west of England on Friday, covering tourist hotspots including Cornwall, Devon, Plymouth and Torbay.

The forecasters warned that a prolonged spell of rain, some of it heavy, will likely cause difficult driving conditions and some disruption to travel as millions hit the road over the Bank Holiday weekend.

It said flooding of a few homes and businesses, affected bus and train services and some interruption to power supplies were possible.

The warning will come into effect at 6pm on Friday and remain in place until 9am on Saturday.