One in four Eurostar journeys were cancelled yesterday after a targeted arson attack on the French rail network ahead of the Olympics in Paris. Disruptions are expected to continue across the weekend.
Meanwhile at home, hundreds of holidaymakers at Heathrow and Stansted were also sent packing after mass flight cancellations.
The RAC is predicting these three days to be the second busiest summer getaway weekend since 2015, with some 3.6 million journeys taking place on ‘Frantic Friday’ alone.
With the total journeys expected to reach nearly 14 million by the end of Sunday, breakdown spokesperson Alice Simpson warned: ‘Anyone heading off on holiday on Saturday or Sunday should expect a “weekend of woe” on the roads with journeys taking far longer than normal.’
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Holidaymakers at Manchester Airport also facing long waits
Busy morning at Heathrow as families head away on their summer holidays
Some flights have been axed from Heathrow today.
Here is a list of flights that appeared as cancelled on the airports’ departure boards.
British Airways BA394 11.50am to Brussels
American Airlines AA091 2.25pm to Chicago
American Airlines AA105 3.15pm to New York City
Virgin Atlantic VS041 5.15pm to San Francisco
One in four Eurostar services cancelled this weekend
One in four Eurostar trains were cancelled on Friday and over the weekend after France’s rail network was ‘paralysed’ by a series of coordinated arson attacks,
Nearly a million people travelling to the Olympic games were affected just hours before the opening ceremony.
The rail operator, which runs international services from London St Pancras, confirmed 25% of its trains would no longer run on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
Four trains from London to Paris were cancelled on Saturday, with disruption expected to last until Monday.
Travellers were advised to postpone their journeys where possible.
Which roads will be worst affected this ‘weekend of woe’?
Transport experts at analytics firm Inrix are warning drivers to avoid travelling between 12pm and 5pm on both Friday and Saturday, and between 11am and 1pm on Sunday when the worst delays are expected.
The best times to travel are expected to be after 6pm on Friday and Saturday, or 3pm on Sunday.
The worst queues, of more than two hours, are predicted on Saturday lunchtime on the M5 heading south between junction 15 for the M4 interchange near Bristol, and junction 23 for Bridgwater, as holidaymakers flock to Devon and Cornwall.
Delays are also forecast at the M1/M25 Chiswell interchange and on the A303 eastbound between Ilminster and Andover.
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