MORE than 16 million Britons hit the road yesterday as travel chaos continued into Christmas Eve amid the closure of major London stations and 70mph winds.
Saturday saw gridlock on the motorways and hours-long queues at the Port of Dover as the masses made their way to see loved ones for Christmas.
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Heavy traffic on the M25 northbound near Byfleet in Surrey yesterdayCredit: LNP
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Busy scenes at Manchester Airport as the masses flew in to visit familyCredit: Zenpix
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People were seen at a packed St Pancras train station yesterdayCredit: Story Picture Agency
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London’s Euston station was also packed as Britons tried to flee the capitalCredit: EPA
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The Met Office has issued two new weather warnings in effect on SundayCredit: metoffice
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A storm hit Blackpool yesterday morning
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A staggering 16.4 million drivers are expected to hit the roads on SaturdayCredit: George Cracknell Wright
The disruption is likely to spill over into Christmas Eve with London’s King’s Cross and Paddington stations closed for construction.
The closure of London Paddington will last until Wednesday, which also means that mainline trains will not run to Heathrow Airport.
Britons have been urged to stay safe as the Met Office has issued two yellow weather warnings for parts of the country today.
Gusts of up to 70mph are forecast to hit the north of Scotland as well as northern and central England.
Meteorologists said people could expect travel chaos, power outages and damage to buildings.
Meteorologist Liam Eslick said: “People should take care to stay longer, especially in exposed areas, as rail networks and ferries could be affected.
“People who move on the roads should be careful and stay away from vehicles with high sides, and those who are at home and going for a walk, stay away from the banks.”
Meanwhile, a yellow weather warning for rain has been in place since yesterday covering much of Wales, with forecasters warning that flooding and travel disruption could last until 6pm on Christmas Eve.
Between 20 and 40 mm of rain is expected in the wider area, and 60 to 80 mm in the higher regions.
Christmas morning will be neither merry nor bright for most, with rain in parts of England and Wales.
The RAC urged motorists to hit the road today before 11am or after 6pm if possible to reduce the risk of being caught in traffic.
Eurostar, which operates passenger rail services to and from London St Pancras, will run two extra trains a day between London and Paris today to balance cancellations earlier in the week.
Meanwhile, Eurotunnel has warned customers to run on a normal schedule – but only for those who have pre-booked.
Shadow transport minister Louise Haigh said domestic rail infrastructure was being “grossly underinvested”, causing “record delays and cancellations”.
A Department for Transport spokesman said: “We know Christmas is a busy time on our roads – and we are working closely with rail operators, ports and airports to ensure people can get where they need to be over the festive period.
“To keep congestion to a minimum, National Highways is ensuring that more than 98% of motorways and A-roads are work-free, with more than 96% of the rail network also open over Christmas and New Year.
“This Government has invested unprecedentedly in transport infrastructure and to suggest otherwise is factually incorrect.
“We are securing a record £44.1 billion for Network Rail to deliver a safe rail network.
“Our Network North plan – backed by £36 billion – will further revolutionize the country’s transport infrastructure with investment in hundreds of local transport projects that matter most to people.”
It comes after traffic jams began to form on roads across the UK yesterday as queues wound through the Eurostar terminal at St. Pancras International.
The standoff was on the M25 near the Bluewater shopping center and dozens were seen rushing through London’s Euston station as well.
At around 10am it was said there was an hour wait at Dover port for those traveling from the UK.
P&O Ferries said on X: “There is an estimated waiting time of 60 minutes to border control after entering the port.
“There are a limited number of toilets, we recommend stopping on the way.
“Please come prepared with refreshments to make your wait more comfortable. Thank you for your patience.”
The photos showed rows of cars stopped as they approached the port to go through border control.
16.4 million motorists were expected to get behind the wheel yesterday, with motorists warned not to travel after 6pm.
The expected chaos has led to the AA issuing an amber warning for traffic – particularly with weather warnings.
The organization rarely issues warnings, but said it anticipates large crowds.
AA chairman Edmund King said: “While Friday 22 December and Saturday 23 December look set to be the busiest days for travel, the unsettled weather forecast could lead to further delays so motorists should drive according to the conditions and slow down where necessary .”
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Yesterday it was crowded in St. Credits to Pancras International: Story Picture Agency
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The Met Office issued a series of yellow weather warnings yesterdayCredit: Met Office
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Some commuters were in the festive spirit as they queued in Euston on SaturdayCredit: EPA
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There was a 60 minute wait in the port of Dover on 23 December Credit: PA
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Queues for the Eurostar were winding around St. Petersburg yesterday. Pancras International Credits: Avalon.ed
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Passengers waited on their trains in Euston on SaturdayCredit: Tom Bowles
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