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| Christmas travellers told to expect road and rail delays across England | Christmas travellers told to expect road and rail delays across England |
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| Travellers hoping for a painless festive getaway have been warned to expect delays on major railway lines and nearly 200 miles of major roads. | Travellers hoping for a painless festive getaway have been warned to expect delays on major railway lines and nearly 200 miles of major roads. |
| Despite a goodwill pledge to lift all non-essential roadworks in time for Christmas, many closures remain in place affecting the 4.1m road journeys expected to be made on Christmas Eve. Roadworks and speed restrictions are in place in 43 locations across England, including two rated severe on the M1 near Bedfordshire and further north in Derbyshire. | Despite a goodwill pledge to lift all non-essential roadworks in time for Christmas, many closures remain in place affecting the 4.1m road journeys expected to be made on Christmas Eve. Roadworks and speed restrictions are in place in 43 locations across England, including two rated severe on the M1 near Bedfordshire and further north in Derbyshire. |
| The roadworks affect 196 miles of routes across England, the Highways Agency said, after it lifted 400 miles of roadworks in time for the festive season. | The roadworks affect 196 miles of routes across England, the Highways Agency said, after it lifted 400 miles of roadworks in time for the festive season. |
| Related: Public services at Christmas: the people who keep Britain moving | Related: Public services at Christmas: the people who keep Britain moving |
| Adding to the strain on the road network, major rail routes including the Heathrow Express and a busy stretch of the west coast mainline will close from Christmas Eve night until early next week. Fast rail services to the UK’s two biggest airports – Heathrow and Gatwick – are to shut down from Thursday evening, with the Gatwick Express closed for 10 days. | Adding to the strain on the road network, major rail routes including the Heathrow Express and a busy stretch of the west coast mainline will close from Christmas Eve night until early next week. Fast rail services to the UK’s two biggest airports – Heathrow and Gatwick – are to shut down from Thursday evening, with the Gatwick Express closed for 10 days. |
| Network Rail said 20,000 of its workers would be carrying out almost 500 improvement projects across the UK during the festive season. About 2.2 million people are expected to use trains between Christmas and the new year, as shoppers mix with holidaymakers. Mark Carne, the Network Rail chief executive, thanked passengers for their patience and said they had in the past “shown themselves to be incredibly understanding of planned improvement work”. | |
| Southern Railway services to Sussex will also be affected. Services to the south-west and south Wales will also take longer as some trains are diverted to London Waterloo or Marylebone stations. The west coast mainline will be closed between Crewe and Stafford between Friday and Tuesday, while there is also a closure on the lines from London Liverpool Street to Colchester, Ipswich and Norwich. | Southern Railway services to Sussex will also be affected. Services to the south-west and south Wales will also take longer as some trains are diverted to London Waterloo or Marylebone stations. The west coast mainline will be closed between Crewe and Stafford between Friday and Tuesday, while there is also a closure on the lines from London Liverpool Street to Colchester, Ipswich and Norwich. |
| The Highways Agency said 98% of its 9,534-mile network would be free of roadworks for the festive period, with the 196 miles of works still in place an improvement on last year’s 268 miles of roadworks. | The Highways Agency said 98% of its 9,534-mile network would be free of roadworks for the festive period, with the 196 miles of works still in place an improvement on last year’s 268 miles of roadworks. |
| Melanie Clarke, the director of customer operations at Highways England, told travellers to pack an emergency winter kit of de-icer, warm clothes, boots and a torch in case of any long delays this Christmas. “This Christmas, we’re clearing roadworks across the majority of motorways and major A-roads in England to help people make important journeys to see family and friends,” she said. | Melanie Clarke, the director of customer operations at Highways England, told travellers to pack an emergency winter kit of de-icer, warm clothes, boots and a torch in case of any long delays this Christmas. “This Christmas, we’re clearing roadworks across the majority of motorways and major A-roads in England to help people make important journeys to see family and friends,” she said. |
| Clarke said: “Where possible, we’ve completed or lifted roadworks, leaving more lanes open and lifting many of the associated speed restrictions to help people travelling over the festive period. Drivers can do their bit to make their festive journeys run smoothly by planning longer journeys ahead of time and checking weather and travel conditions before setting out.” | Clarke said: “Where possible, we’ve completed or lifted roadworks, leaving more lanes open and lifting many of the associated speed restrictions to help people travelling over the festive period. Drivers can do their bit to make their festive journeys run smoothly by planning longer journeys ahead of time and checking weather and travel conditions before setting out.” |
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