Millions of people in the UK are expected to experience travel disruptions during the bank holiday weekend, primarily due to a rail strike and ongoing engineering works. A strike by the RMT union, focused on issues of pay, safety, and staffing, will particularly affect the CrossCountry rail routes from Aberdeen to Cornwall, leading to significant network disruptions.
The RAC has reported that busy roads will be congested, with approximately three million planned getaway journeys on Friday. The M5, especially between Bristol and Devon, is predicted to see particularly heavy traffic. The bank holiday falls on Monday for England, Wales, and Northern Ireland.
Passengers are advised by Network Rail to verify their travel plans due to the strikes and scheduled rail works. On Saturday, CrossCountry services will be suspended, meaning travelers between Birmingham and cities like Leicester, Derby, and Nottingham will have no direct train options. Although no strikes are planned for Sunday, alterations and cancellations are likely. On Monday, a strike will limit CrossCountry services between 08:00 BST and 18:00, affecting routes to the South Coast and regional connections to cities such as Leicester and Cambridge. Very few services will operate to the south west and north of York. Additionally, on Sunday, LNER will not offer direct trains to London King’s Cross due to engineering projects.
Weather forecasts indicate mostly dry conditions with some sunshine over the weekend, particularly in central and southern England, where temperatures could reach between 23 and 25°C. Saturday will see sunny spells, with a possibility of showers in the afternoon in western England, Wales, Northern Ireland, and Scotland. Bank Holiday Monday is expected to be warm and sunny, although rain may arrive in Northern Ireland later in the day.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c1kzrxwjnryo?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss