Christmas Travel LIVE: Traffic chaos as M1 shuts due to vehicle fire while getaways hit by cancelled flights
‘Perfect storm’ of adverse weather conditions and road congestion caused widespread disruption over weekend as millions hit roads ahead of Christmas
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Your support makes all the difference.Thousands of travellers hoping to reach home for Christmas have had to organise last minute alternatives, as flights, ferries and trains have been cancelled across the UK, while part of the M1 has been closed due to a vehicle fire.
Drivers are facing traffic chaos, with pictures showing huge queues building up, as the M1 remains closed northbound between J22, near Leicester, and J23, near Loughborough, on Monday morning.
National Highways said emergency services are working at the scene where a van is alight, as millions take to the country’s motorways ahead of Christmas.
The further disruption comes after more than 100 flights at Heathrow, the UK’s busiest airport, were cancelled on Sunday. Dozens of ferry routes in Scotland and Ireland were also not running due to the bad weather, while rail passengers faced chaos as Northern cancelled all trains on 11 routes.
Snow over the weekend caused chaos on the M62, with one lane closed. More snow is expected near the end December, with the Met Office forecasting ice, sleet and snow is set to hit the north of the country and perhaps also central areas.
However, conditions are expected to improve this week after the widespread disruption caused by the “perfect storm” of adverse weather conditions and road congestion. The forecaster is currently predicting a “grey Christmas” with some sunny spells and “extremely mild” temperatures.
Plane crash lands in high winds at UK airport as poor weather disrupts Christmas travel
Conditions expected to improve after bad weather disrupts Christmas travel
Met Office reveals whether white Christmas is coming to UK in forecast
How to avoid travel chaos on road and rail this Christmas and New Year
Met Office reveals whether white Christmas is coming to UK in forecast
Britons hoping for a white Christmas are set to be sorely disappointed with a mild and grey 25 December, forecasters have predicted.
For the Met Office to declare a white Christmas, a single snowflake has to be observed falling in the 24 hours of Christmas Day anywhere in the UK.
However, the day is likely to be settled, cloudy and dry with light winds for most of the UK, according to the forecaster.
There is a small chance of rain across north-west Scotland, though temperatures are expected to be widely mild, dashing any hopes of snow.
Read more here:
Met Office reveals whether festive forecast will fulfil dreams of a white Christmas
The last widespread Christmas with snow settling on the ground was more than ten years ago
Plane crash lands in high winds at UK airport as poor weather disrupts Christmas travel
A plane crash-landed in high winds at a Belfast airport as poor weather disrupted travel across the UK in the run-up to Christmas.
Belfast City Airport was forced to enact emergency procedures on Sunday after a plane’s nose wheel collapsed upon landing in adverse weather conditions. There were no reported injuries.
There were four crew and no passengers on board the Emerald Airlines flight when the hard landing occurred at around 4pm on Sunday afternoon, as winds of up to 82mph battered parts of the UK.
The incident caused the runway to be closed for the rest of the day, after what the airport said had been the busiest day of the year so far on Friday, and several flights were diverted to Belfast International Airport on Sunday evening.
It came as weather warnings were in force across the UK, save for eastern parts of England, causing ferries, trains and flights to be cancelled in a blow to passengers travelling to spend Christmas with their loved ones.
Read more here:
Plane crash lands in high winds at UK airport as weather disrupts Christmas travel
Plane’s nose wheel collapses as it lands in high winds, with emergency protocols activated but no reported injuries
Travel disruption: Why are the trains always chaotic at Christmas?
Travel chaos is expected across the UK as the Christmas getaway gets underway.
It comes as weather warnings kick in for parts of the UK, roads and public transport could be disrupted by strong winds as the Met Office forecast a wet and windy weekend for many.
But one predictable issue that always arises during the festive season, is train delays, changes and a full shut down of the entire rail network on Christmas day.
This is because it is the one day of the year that engineering works take place, giving Network Rail and train companies an opportunity to carry out the largest heavy duty jobs when many across the UK are spending the day with loved ones.
Simon Calder explains:
Why are the trains always chaotic at Christmas?
Travel chaos is expected across the UK as the Christmas getaway gets underway. It comes as weather warnings kick in for parts of the UK, roads and public transport could be disrupted by strong winds as the Met Office forecast a wet and windy weekend for many. But one predictable issue that always arises during the festive season, is train delays, changes and a full shut down of the entire rail network on Christmas day. This is because it is the one day of the year that engineering works take place, giving Network Rail and train companies an opportunity to carry out the largest heavy duty jobs when many across the UK are spending the day with loved ones. Simon Calder explains.
Conditions expected to improve after bad weather disrupts Christmas travel
Conditions are expected to improve this week after bad weather caused disruption during the Christmas getaway period.
The Met Office has forecast a “grey Christmas” with some sunny spells and “extremely mild” temperatures.
It comes after a “perfect storm” of adverse weather conditions and road congestion led to widespread disruption during the Christmas getaway.
The Met Office issued yellow warnings for wind which remained in place until 9pm on Sunday.
The warnings were in place in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, and in England the warnings covered the North East, North West, South West and West Midlands as well as Yorkshire, Derbyshire and Hampshire.
Read more:
Conditions expected to improve after bad weather disrupts Christmas travel
The Met Office has forecast a ‘grey Christmas’ with some sunny spells and ‘extremely mild’ temperatures.
Alternative routes to get people home for Christmas after Holyhead port closure
People have been ferried to Ireland on alternative routes after the temporary closure of Holyhead port in an effort to get people home for Christmas, a Welsh Cabinet Secretary has said.
The busy ferry port in Anglesey, North Wales, was forced to close following damage during Storm Darragh and is not set to reopen until January 15 at the earliest.
All ferry services between Dublin and Holyhead are currently cancelled, upending travel plans for thousands in the festive season.
But alternative sailings to Ireland have been taking place this weekend amid high winds and challenging conditions.
Gusts of up to 75mph were forecast for parts of the UK on Sunday, with wind warnings in force across Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, and large swathes of England.
Read more here:
Alternative routes to get people home for Christmas after Holyhead port closure
Holyhead port in Anglesey, North Wales, was forced to close following damage during Storm Darragh.
Worst times for driving during ‘record festive getaway’ revealed by RAC
Christmas travel: Worst times for driving during ‘record getaway’ revealed
Driving home for Christmas? Here’s what the experts say
Met Office’s five day weather forecast
This Evening and Tonight:
Showers becoming confined to far eastern coasts and winds will slowly ease. Clear spells developing overnight for most, but cloud building in the west towards dawn. Feeling cold overnight with a touch of frost in some prone spots.
Monday:
Dry and fine in the east with prolonged periods of sunshine, though feeling chilly. Outbreaks of rain and extensive low cloud spreading into western areas, and turning mild.
Outlook for Tuesday to Thursday:
Predominantly settled, mild and cloudy for the Christmas period. Best chance of brighter spells to the east of high ground. Wetter and windier across northwest Scotland.
Met Office reveals whether white Christmas is coming to UK in forecast
Britons hoping for a white Christmas are set to be sorely disappointed with a mild and grey 25 December, forecasters have predicted.
For the Met Office to declare a white Christmas, a single snowflake has to be observed falling in the 24 hours of Christmas Day anywhere in the UK.
However, the day is likely to be settled, cloudy and dry with light winds for most of the UK, according to the forecaster.
Read the full article here:
Met Office reveals whether festive forecast will fulfil dreams of a white Christmas
The last widespread Christmas with snow settling on the ground was more than ten years ago
Winds up to 82mph recorded
The Met Office has recorded winds up to 82mph in Kirkwall as a yellow weather warning continues to remain in place.
Other high recordings include South Uist Range also at 82mph and St Bees Head which reached 76mph.
Flights and ferries to Scottish islands cancelled amid yellow warning for wind
Windy weather has caused travel disruption for people living on Scottish islands, with ferries and flights cancelled.
A Met Office yellow weather warning for wind is in place until 9pm on Sunday, covering the whole of Scotland as well as areas south of the border.
Several Loganair flights from Glasgow Airport to the Hebridean islands have been cancelled, and 18 CalMac ferry routes have also been axed.
Gusts of 82mph were recorded at Kirkwall on Orkney and at South Uist in the Outer Hebrides – the strongest winds across the UK as of 2.30pm on Sunday, the Met Office said,
CalMac cited “strong winds with gusts up to 60mph” as the reason it cancelled all sailings on the Troon to Brodick service, connecting Ayrshire with the Isle of Arran.
The ferry operator pledged to review cancellations on the Oban to Craignure route, connecting Argyll and Bute with the Isle of Mull, with the possibility that a 7.20pm sailing could go ahead on Sunday.
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