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| Rain and delays set for weekend | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Busy roads, disruption on the railways and wet and cold weather for some are predicted for the Bank Holiday weekend. | Busy roads, disruption on the railways and wet and cold weather for some are predicted for the Bank Holiday weekend. |
| Motoring organisations estimate up to 18 million cars will take to the roads, with a number of sporting events adding to the volume of holiday traffic. | Motoring organisations estimate up to 18 million cars will take to the roads, with a number of sporting events adding to the volume of holiday traffic. |
| More than 20% of the rail network will close for engineering works, including parts of the West Coast Main Line. | More than 20% of the rail network will close for engineering works, including parts of the West Coast Main Line. |
| Weather forecasters say the north of the UK is expected to stay dry, with heavy rain and cold for the south. | Weather forecasters say the north of the UK is expected to stay dry, with heavy rain and cold for the south. |
| Saturday will be the best day for the UK as a whole, said BBC forecaster Chris Fawkes, with rain and wind sweeping into much of England and Wales over Sunday and Monday. | Saturday will be the best day for the UK as a whole, said BBC forecaster Chris Fawkes, with rain and wind sweeping into much of England and Wales over Sunday and Monday. |
| Sporting events | Sporting events |
| Engineering works are scheduled at 30 locations on the railways over the weekend. | Engineering works are scheduled at 30 locations on the railways over the weekend. |
| There will be no Virgin Trains or London Midland services in and out of London's Euston station on Saturday, Sunday or Monday, due to the long-running upgrade of the West Coast Main Line. | There will be no Virgin Trains or London Midland services in and out of London's Euston station on Saturday, Sunday or Monday, due to the long-running upgrade of the West Coast Main Line. |
| It's going to feel miserable outside in England and Wales - Scotland and Northern Ireland are the places to be Chris Fawkes, BBC weather forecaster Holiday drivers face price hike class="" href="/1/hi/business/7416434.stm">Branson warns of more rail misery | |
| Network Rail said more than 4,000 people would be working on improvements over the three days. | Network Rail said more than 4,000 people would be working on improvements over the three days. |
| Meanwhile the RAC predicted 18m cars would take to the roads and suggested drivers allow 50% more time for journeys. | Meanwhile the RAC predicted 18m cars would take to the roads and suggested drivers allow 50% more time for journeys. |
| And those drivers will pay on average £14 more to fill up their tanks, compared with this time last year, according to the AA. | And those drivers will pay on average £14 more to fill up their tanks, compared with this time last year, according to the AA. |
| The RAC said routes expected to be particularly busy were those to the West Country, to the Lake District and to Blackpool, plus routes from northern England to north Wales, and between the Midlands and Norfolk. | The RAC said routes expected to be particularly busy were those to the West Country, to the Lake District and to Blackpool, plus routes from northern England to north Wales, and between the Midlands and Norfolk. |
| Routes leading to sporting venues could also get congested, said the RAC. | Routes leading to sporting venues could also get congested, said the RAC. |
| Among the events this weekend are the Football League play-offs at Wembley Stadium, the Scottish FA Cup Final in Glasgow on Saturday, the England v New Zealand Test Match in Manchester and the Rugby Union Heineken Cup Final in Cardiff on Saturday. | Among the events this weekend are the Football League play-offs at Wembley Stadium, the Scottish FA Cup Final in Glasgow on Saturday, the England v New Zealand Test Match in Manchester and the Rugby Union Heineken Cup Final in Cardiff on Saturday. |
| The RAC's Iain Vale said this was also the weekend that saw traffic to holiday resorts pick up with the start of school's half term. | The RAC's Iain Vale said this was also the weekend that saw traffic to holiday resorts pick up with the start of school's half term. |
| Rail maintenance | Rail maintenance |
| Temperatures could reach 21C (70F) in some parts over the holiday, said Chris Fawkes. | Temperatures could reach 21C (70F) in some parts over the holiday, said Chris Fawkes. |
| He said Saturday would be mainly dry with sunny spells and breezy for everyone, save for a few showers in the south and west. | He said Saturday would be mainly dry with sunny spells and breezy for everyone, save for a few showers in the south and west. |
| On Sunday, rain will spread across southern England, then to Wales, the Midlands and East Anglia before reaching northern England in the afternoon. | On Sunday, rain will spread across southern England, then to Wales, the Midlands and East Anglia before reaching northern England in the afternoon. |
| "It's going to be a typical Bank Holiday," he said, adding that there was a chance of thunder. | "It's going to be a typical Bank Holiday," he said, adding that there was a chance of thunder. |
| Scotland, Northern Ireland and parts of northern England will stay dry and bright. | Scotland, Northern Ireland and parts of northern England will stay dry and bright. |
| Monday spells more of the same, with heavy persistent rain and temperatures in the low teens in the south, and much better weather in the north. | Monday spells more of the same, with heavy persistent rain and temperatures in the low teens in the south, and much better weather in the north. |
| "It's going to feel miserable outside in England and Wales - Scotland and Northern Ireland are the places to be," added Mr Fawkes. | "It's going to feel miserable outside in England and Wales - Scotland and Northern Ireland are the places to be," added Mr Fawkes. |
| On the railways, maintenance work other than the West Coast Main Line includes platform extensions at Luton Airport Parkway, track and signalling works at Merthyr and Newport, south Wales and infrastructure improvement work at Hull Docks. | On the railways, maintenance work other than the West Coast Main Line includes platform extensions at Luton Airport Parkway, track and signalling works at Merthyr and Newport, south Wales and infrastructure improvement work at Hull Docks. |
| NR director of infrastructure investment Simon Kirby said despite disruption the majority of services would continue to run over the holiday weekend. | NR director of infrastructure investment Simon Kirby said despite disruption the majority of services would continue to run over the holiday weekend. |