Easter travel: Quiet forecast on the roads, but rail passengers face widespread disruption

Monday was the busiest day of the year so far on the roads

Red light: lines in Essex will be closed for Network Rail engineering work (Network Rail)

Even though the “stay at home” rule has now been relaxed in England, Wales and Scotland, the UK’s roads are not expected to be busy over the Easter weekend.

Scotland’s first minister, Nicola Sturgeon, said: “The stay at home rule is being replaced for the next three weeks at least with a requirement to stay local”.

While England lifted its requirement on Monday, the government is urging the public to “minimise travel” – though it has not given any further details.

As this is guidance rather than law, travellers may seek to take advantage of the easing to visit family and friends, as outdoor gatherings will be permitted.

Welsh residents are able to travel anywhere they wish within Wales, but will not be allowed to cross the border to England until 12 April. 

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On the same day, Northern Ireland is expected to relax its stay at home requirement.

On Monday this week, Britain’s roads were busier than on any other day since Christmas.

But a poll of 15,000 members of the AA showed only three in 10 (31 per cent) are planning Easter trips. In 2020, the corresponding figure was 56 per cent before lockdown scuppered plans for the long weekend.

Only one in 25 motorists is planning to visit coast or countryside for leisure.

Jack Cousens, head of roads policy for the AA, said: “We aren’t predicting the usual mass Easter getaway this year.”

Rail use is way down compared with normal levels – with only around one in four of 2019 passengers travelling. Network Rail is telling prospective travellers: “Keep your journeys to a minimum.”

Passenger numbers are rising as stay at home rules are lifted. But over the Easter weekend passengers will face widespread disruption due to planned engineering works.

The main line linking London with Essex, Suffolk and Norfolk will be closed right through the weekend as Network Rail works on the link from the Liverpool Street terminus in the capital to Shenfield. Journey times between London and Colchester will more than double.

Passengers on the West Coast main line face a series of obstacles. Capacity between London and Milton Keynes will be reduced due to work at Euston station for HS2, the new high-speed line, and between Hemel Hempstead and Leighton Buzzard.

Work will also take place between Rugby and Birmingham, and between Crewe and Liverpool. 

Between Saturday and Monday, the main line north from Crewe via Warrington to Wigan will be closed, with trains diverted and journey times extended.

The line between Sheffield and Wakefield is also closed.

The rail minister, Chris Heaton-Harris, said: “I urge passengers to minimise travel over the Easter weekend, but for those that need to, remember to plan ahead and avoid the busiest routes.”

The engineering projects were scheduled for Easter because it normally has a lighter passenger load.

The UK’s only scheduled hovercraft link, between Southsea in Hampshire and Ryde on the Isle of Wight, is seeing increased passenger numbers.