The closure of two major rail lines into London for engineering works is set to add to the traditional headaches of the Easter getaway, with motoring organisations predicting road traffic to hit a 2015 peak on Thursday afternoon.
Direct trains will not run between the capital and many northern cities for four days, with the west coast line into Euston shut, while most services west from Paddington will be rerouted or replaced due to works on Crossrail and Reading station.
The AA predicted a particularly busy Easter with around 15 million people on the roads.
A fatal accident on Thursday morning closed the eastbound section of the AA’s forecast busiest route, the A303 – which runs from Basingstoke in Hampshire to Honiton in Devon, although most holiday traffic will be travelling south-west.
Other expected hotspots are the M5 towards Exeter, the M1 from the M25 interchange, the M6 through the West Midlands and all sections of the M25 - particularly near Heathrow airport and the M4, M40 interchanges.
Network Rail said it would be spending £100m and deploying 14,000 workers to make improvements to stations and tracks over the four-day Easter period.
Despite the outcry over the disruption at Christmas, the holiday period sees far fewer passengers on the railways, up to 40% fewer than on a normal week.
Network Rail’s chief executive, Mark Carne, said it had “thoroughly reviewed” the improvement work and had contingency plans in place to put passengers first. However, Virgin Trains, the main long-distance intercity operator on the west coast, has recommended passengers avoid travel if possible.
Works at London Bridge and on the East Anglia line will also cause disruption to passengers. Manchester Victoria station will be closed for the four days.
Coach operator National Express said it had added more than 15,000 extra coach seats to cope with demand as rail services were disrupted.
Around 1.8 million Britons are heading abroad, according to travel association Abta, with the weak euro making European breaks particularly popular. Spain is the top short-haul destination, with Florida the most popular far-flung route.
Gatwick airport is expecting a record number of passengers, around half a million over the long weekend, up 11% on last year, although engineering works will also disrupt access to Gatwick on some routes. The airport said its top destinations are Barcelona and Malaga in Spain.
Eurostar said around 85,000 passengers will travel on its trains under the Channel Tunnel.
Next week will see the introduction of exit passport checks at Eurotunnel and at ferry ports, from 8 April, which the cross-Channel companies have warned could potentially cause delays and long tailbacks on the roads into Kent during the school holidays.
Easter Monday will also see the introduction of higher speed limits for lorries on dual carriageways and single-lane roads. The AA said it would be a “speed bonus” for motorists but studies also predict more accidents and fatalities.
Those staying at home can expect warmer and sunnier weather for Easter Saturday and Sunday.
