News: Tube strike and holiday exodus threaten long queues this Bank Holiday

A double-whammy of Bank Holiday sun-seekers and the threat of a strike on London Underground is likely to cause major travel disruption for drivers this weekend


BRITAIN-ACCIDENT

A DOUBLE-WHAMMY of Bank Holiday sun-seekers and the threat of a strike on London Underground is likely to cause major travel disruption for drivers this weekend, warns Inrix, a traffic intelligence company.

The South East will be worst affected with delays of up to 40 minutes on the M25 western stretch between junction 7, where the motorway meets the M23 to Gatwick and Brighton, and junction 21A, where it meets the M1 taking drivers north.

Similar delays are also expected on the M4 between London and the West Country.

If talks between management and the union fail today, Thursday, the strike on London Underground will run from midnight on Saturday to 8am on Tuesday. The prospect could push more cars onto London’s roads as people look to escape the capital.

Inrix said the weekend’s busiest periods would fall between midday and 5pm on Friday, when drivers should expect a 60-minute journey to take 90 minutes in the most congested areas, and on Monday from 9am to 4pm as drivers head home.

To ease congestion, the Highways Agency has said it will suspend 75% of roadworks.

Inrix has produced a table, below, showing the worst-affected roads and suggesting alternative routes to avoid them.

 

Most congested routes with suggested alternatives

 

SCOTLAND

POSSIBLE ALTERNATIVE

A9 Kessock Bridge No alternative
M8 and A82 at Erskine Bridge Use A739 from the East

MIDLANDS

 
M180 Hatfield to Grimsby A631 and A46
A158 Lincoln to Skegness No alternative
M6 between J8 to J10A M6 Toll

SOUTH WEST AND WALES

M4 between Hampshire and West Country M3 and A303*
M4 at the Second Severn Crossing M48
A303* Amesbury (Stonehenge) A36 and A338

NORTH

M55 between Preston and Blackpool A583
M6 junction 19 for Tatton Park A50
A64 between York and Scarborough A166

SOUTH EAST

M25 Western Stretch between J7 and J21A Non-motorway routes
M4 between London and Reading M3 and A33
A120 between M11 and the coast No alternative

EAST ANGLIA

A148 between Kings Lynn and Cromer No alternative
A47 between Kings Lynn and Great Yarmouth No alternative

SOUTH

A21 between M25 and Hastings No alternative
A31 between M27 and Dorset Coast No alternative
A27 between Eastbourne and Portsmouth No alternative