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| Airports busy for Christmas Eve but roads quiet | Airports busy for Christmas Eve but roads quiet |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Airports have been busy on Christmas Eve as many people choose to get away for the festive season. | Airports have been busy on Christmas Eve as many people choose to get away for the festive season. |
| About four million people are estimated to be heading abroad between 19 December and 3 January. | About four million people are estimated to be heading abroad between 19 December and 3 January. |
| However trains were quieter than usual with fewer people commuting and the Highways Agency reported no major problem's on England's main roads. | However trains were quieter than usual with fewer people commuting and the Highways Agency reported no major problem's on England's main roads. |
| Major engineering works will affect the West Coast main line for several days starting from Christmas Eve night. | Major engineering works will affect the West Coast main line for several days starting from Christmas Eve night. |
| 'Festive send-off' | 'Festive send-off' |
| Britain's busiest airport, Heathrow, was expecting 87,782 departing and 77,719 arriving passengers - and they were treated to boiled sweets in turkey, sage and onion stuffing and Christmas pudding flavours. | Britain's busiest airport, Heathrow, was expecting 87,782 departing and 77,719 arriving passengers - and they were treated to boiled sweets in turkey, sage and onion stuffing and Christmas pudding flavours. |
| Heathrow chief operating officer Normand Boivin said: "With a huge number of passengers set to fly from Heathrow this Christmas, we are giving merry travellers a festive send-off as they embark on their holidays." | Heathrow chief operating officer Normand Boivin said: "With a huge number of passengers set to fly from Heathrow this Christmas, we are giving merry travellers a festive send-off as they embark on their holidays." |
| Glasgow Airport dealt with 120,000 passengers between Thursday and Tuesday, up 10% on last year, but expected a slight drop-off on Christmas Eve. | Glasgow Airport dealt with 120,000 passengers between Thursday and Tuesday, up 10% on last year, but expected a slight drop-off on Christmas Eve. |
| A spokeswoman said: "It's been busy over the past three or four days, over the long weekend into yesterday. Obviously a lot of people are travelling to see family or friends, or to go on holiday to get away from the festivities here." | A spokeswoman said: "It's been busy over the past three or four days, over the long weekend into yesterday. Obviously a lot of people are travelling to see family or friends, or to go on holiday to get away from the festivities here." |
| Twenty-thousand people will be flying out of Cardiff Airport over Christmas, heading to destinations including Sharm El Sheikh in Egypt and Spanish resorts. | |
| The situation at Gatwick Airport was calm, in contrast to last year when when flooding led to a power outage that caused delays and cancellations. | The situation at Gatwick Airport was calm, in contrast to last year when when flooding led to a power outage that caused delays and cancellations. |
| Turkey dinners | |
| The most popular destinations for Britons heading abroad include the Canary Islands, Tunisia and Morocco, as well as Dubai, Mexico, Cuba and Egypt further afield. | The most popular destinations for Britons heading abroad include the Canary Islands, Tunisia and Morocco, as well as Dubai, Mexico, Cuba and Egypt further afield. |
| British Airways has 267 scheduled flights on Christmas Day, on which 37,000 turkey dinners will be served. The top destinations for BA passengers over Christmas are Dubai, Barbados, New York, Australia and Barcelona. | British Airways has 267 scheduled flights on Christmas Day, on which 37,000 turkey dinners will be served. The top destinations for BA passengers over Christmas are Dubai, Barbados, New York, Australia and Barcelona. |
| Ryanair is carrying 3.5 million passengers between 20 December and 6 January - an increase of 500,000 over a similar period last year. | |
| On the railways, a signalling problem meant buses had to replace trains between Leigh-on-Sea and Shoeburyness in Essex. | On the railways, a signalling problem meant buses had to replace trains between Leigh-on-Sea and Shoeburyness in Essex. |
| There was similar disruption in Scotland between Glasgow Queen Street and Falkirk High and Stirling, and between Ayr and Stranraer. | There was similar disruption in Scotland between Glasgow Queen Street and Falkirk High and Stirling, and between Ayr and Stranraer. |
| On the London Underground, a faulty train meant there was no service between Moorgate and Barking on the Hammersmith and City line and severe delays on the District line. | On the London Underground, a faulty train meant there was no service between Moorgate and Barking on the Hammersmith and City line and severe delays on the District line. |
| Eleven thousand staff will carry out engineering work, mostly on Christmas Day and Boxing Day, over the holiday period as part of a £200m programme on the national rail network. | |
| The West Coast main line will be closed between Euston and Hemel Hempstead until December 29, and between Stafford and Crewe until December 28. | The West Coast main line will be closed between Euston and Hemel Hempstead until December 29, and between Stafford and Crewe until December 28. |
| There will also be disruption to services using Paddington, London Bridge and King's Cross stations in London. | |
| Bright and cold | |
| A serious accident led to the closure of the M57 northbound at junctions 2 and 3 near Prescot, Merseyside. There were also delays on the M25 clockwise in Surrey between junctions 10 and 11 because of an accident. | |
| The AA, which had 3,300 call-outs on Christmas Day last year, will have 350 patrols on duty this year. | The AA, which had 3,300 call-outs on Christmas Day last year, will have 350 patrols on duty this year. |
| A survey of more than 16,000 members of the motoring organisation suggested that 17% planned to drive at least 20 miles on Boxing Day to visit family or friends. | |
| Coach company National Express has reported record demand on its routes, with the busiest day being this Saturday. First Bus said it would carry a record 250,000 passengers on Boxing Day. | |
| The Christmas Eve weather is forecast to be mainly bright and cold for most people, with some showers. | The Christmas Eve weather is forecast to be mainly bright and cold for most people, with some showers. |
| BBC weather presenter Carol Kirkwood said: "In the sunshine, in the lighter winds it will feel quite pleasant for the time of year, but it will also feel cold - looking at four to about nine degrees." | BBC weather presenter Carol Kirkwood said: "In the sunshine, in the lighter winds it will feel quite pleasant for the time of year, but it will also feel cold - looking at four to about nine degrees." |