Two million people to head overseas on ‘one of busiest weekends of year’ despite Europe heatwave
More than two million holidaymakers will head overseas this weekend, amid warnings of traffic jams and delays at ports and Europe’s continuing heatwave.
The majority of schools in England and Wales are breaking up for the summer, which will spark a surge in holidays between Friday and Monday.
Saturday is expected to be the busiest day of the weekend, according to travel association Abta.
Airports will see hundreds of thousands of passengers, the Port of Dover is warning it could take up to two and a half hours to pass through border checks, traffic is likely to be disrupted by downpours, and train strikes are due to take place on Saturday.
Heathrow and Gatwick airports are expected to have hundreds of thousands of passengers pass through this weekend, Stansted will have 199,000 and Luton 116,000.
About 200,000 people will depart from Manchester Airport, 71,000 from Bristol, and although the Scottish schools are well into their summer holidays, many will still be leaving from Scottish airports this weekend, with more than 100,000 from Glasgow alone.
Meanwhile traffic jams are likely on major roads, and the Met Office has warned of disruption as downpours begin on Saturday, and a risk of thunderstorms on Sunday.
Families heading for a getaway are also being warned of persistent rain and the chance of thunderstorms across the UK – while Europe’s heatwave is set to continue.
Next week will also start off unsettled with showers and potentially thunderstorms, and temperatures will reach the low 20s across the south and east. Meanwhile much of Europe will continue to see temperatures in the high 30s and low 40s next week.
Ellie Wilson, meteorologist for the Met Office, said: “Friday will see a dry and bright start for much of the UK, with cloud and showers bubbling up into the afternoon – these heaviest across northern parts of England.
“It will be turning increasingly showery across Northern Ireland with outbreaks of rain through the afternoon.”
Transport analysis company Inrix said traffic hotspots will include the M5 south from near Bristol (junction 15) to Bridgwater (junction 23), which is a popular route for holidaymakers travelling to the South West.
Another is the M25 clockwise between junction 10 for the A3 to Kingston and junction 6 for the A22 to East Grinstead.
And rail passengers will be disrupted by strikes on Saturday as members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT), including station staff and train managers, strike again in a long-running dispute over pay, jobs and conditions.
At the Port of Dover, more than 6,000 cars are expected to arrive on Friday, followed by a further 7,500 on Saturday.
The Port said border control processing will generally take around one and a half hours on peak days, but this could rise to two and a half hours between 6am and 1pm during the next two weekends due to the number of passengers.
Passengers travelling between Friday and Sunday are being asked to arrive up to three hours before sailings and to carry plenty of food and drinks.
Enhanced post-Brexit passport checks by French border officials Police Aux Frontieres have significantly increased processing times at the Kent port.
Additional sailings out of Dover will be added by shipping company DFDS to its schedule this weekend.
