Get ready for a weekend of travel headaches! Flights have been canceled, roads are closed, and trains are facing delays across the UK.
Let’s dive into the details:
Airports and Trains in Disarray
British Airways has canceled several flights today from Heathrow and London City airports. This comes as the Met Office issued a yellow weather warning for heavy rain in London, south of England, and Wales. The heavy rain is expected to cause travel disruption until midnight.
Adding to the travel woes, the Circle, District, Hammersmith and City, and Metropolitan lines on the London Underground are experiencing severe delays. This is just as rush hour kicks in, making the journey to work even more challenging.
Furthermore, a freight train derailment near Denton has blocked a freight-only line. The incident occurred around 11:30 am, leaving the line closed until the train can be moved. Thankfully, no one was injured.
Over in Kent, a police incident on the railway line between Dover and Folkestone caused major disruptions earlier today. Trains heading towards London St Pancras, Cannon Street, and Charing Cross were canceled or delayed throughout the morning. The line reopened at around 11 am, but delays persisted until 1:30 pm.
M62 Closure and Other Road Disruptions
The M62 motorway, a major route carrying around 120,000 vehicles daily, will be closed tonight and over the weekend. This is the first of two major weekend closures on the M62, as a £22 million bridge is being installed between Manchester and Leeds.
The closure will impact commuters traveling between Manchester and Leeds. The westbound carriageway will be shut between junction 20 at Rochdale and junction 19 at Heywood. Eastbound traffic will be stopped from junction 18 at Simister Island to junction 20 at Rochdale.
The M25 is experiencing slow-moving traffic and a lane closure due to flooding on the clockwise carriageway between junction 11 and junction 12. This is causing delays for drivers.
Elizabeth Line Delays
Passengers traveling between London Paddington and Heathrow Terminal 4 are facing delays and cancellations due to a defective track on the route. This is causing trains to run slower, leading to delays of up to 10 minutes or cancellations of some trains.
Southeastern Railway Disruptions
Southeastern Railway is experiencing several issues today, affecting services in Kent. These include:
- No trains between Dover Priory and Faversham due to an emergency incident near Canterbury East.
- A broken-down train between Charing and Ashford International, blocking the line between Ashford and Oftord/Maidstone East.
- This is disrupting trains through Maidstone East.
- Passengers can use their tickets on high-speed services.
- An earlier broken-down train at Etchingham is still causing cancellations to trains between Hastings and London Charing Cross.
Victoria Line and Tramlink Delays
The Victoria line is experiencing minor delays due to a signal failure at Finsbury Park.
Tramlink services between Wellesley Road and Sandilands are facing delays due to a broken-down bus at Lebanon Road. The line had been partially suspended, but it has since reopened. All other Tramlink routes have good service.
Be prepared for a challenging weekend of travel with these disruptions impacting airports, roads, and train lines across the UK. Keep updated on the latest travel information and plan your journeys accordingly.
