Easter travel chaos as millions face rail, road and Gatwick Airport disruption

Easter travel plans for millions are set to be thrown into disarray due to a perfect storm of rail engineering works, strikes, congested roads, and potential flooding. Network Rail has announced over 300 engineering projects across Britain from Good Friday to Monday, urging passengers to check their journeys before setting off. , with no running to or from Milton Keynes on Saturday and Sunday due to overhead line renewals and drainage improvements.

A , while the West Coast Main Line will only operate to Carlisle, leaving northern stations reliant on replacement buses. London Victoria's platforms 1 to 8 will be closed during the Bank Holiday, forcing Southeastern services to reroute to London Bridge or Cannon Street, and closures will also affect routes around Southampton and Brockenhurst.

Network Rail's Helen Hamlin stated: "The vast majority of the rail network will be open as usual for people wanting to travel over the Easter Bank Holiday, but there will be changes to services in some areas so we're asking passengers to plan ahead and check before they travel."

Hamlin highlighted that Easter is an optimal time for upgrades due to lower passenger numbers and the extended holiday period.

A staggering £86 million investment in the UK's train infrastructure is set for rollout over the weekend, yet travel chaos seems imminent across the nation.

Massive queues at Dover were spotted early on Friday as holidaymakers attempted to beat the rush and start their long weekend breaks. Still, they're facing significant delays, warns Port of Dover online, preparing travellers for "extended processing times" at border control, predicting waits of around 40 minutes before the border and at P&O Ferries check-in.

Meanwhile, Gatwick Airport is set to face its own upheaval. Over 100 Unite union members employed by ground handling company Red Handling plan to strike throughout the long weekend, citing dissatisfaction with ongoing pension and pay disputes.

The striking staff include vital roles such as baggage handlers, check-in agents, and flight dispatchers who work for various airlines, including industry giants Norwegian and Delta.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: "Workers have had enough of Red Handling playing fast and loose with their retirement plans and waiting weeks for pay they are rightfully owed for their hard work.

"The union will not stand back and watch members be treated in such an appalling way and they have the full support of Unite in this dispute."

A London Gatwick spokesperson said: "We are aware of the recent ballot results and the planned industrial action by Red Handling UK which will impact thousands of passengers during one of our busiest times of year.

"We are supporting the airlines impacted, who hold the contracts directly with Red Handling, with their contingency plans.

"Passengers are advised to contact their airlines directly for latest information."

Drivers are bracing for a hectic Easter weekend on the roads. Nearly 20 million car journeys are predicted for Good Friday, creating potential gridlock. Ahead of the holiday rush, National Highways has cleared roadworks from more than 1,100 miles of motorway and major A roads.

Notorious congestion zones include the M6 in Birmingham, parts of the M25 and M5 at Bristol, and the A303 in Wiltshire. RAC's Alice Simpson cautions that "big jams" could occur, particularly if the precarious weather worsens.

She said: "It's vital to plan ahead and be prepared for trips to take longer because of the wet weather and the expected getaway congestion."

The Met Office's Steven Skeates has issued a forecast of "changeable weather for many", highlighting threats of "heavy and possibly even disruptive rain" on Good Friday. Areas like South West England, South Wales, and Northern Ireland could see intense rainfall leading up to the weekend, with drivers advised to navigate with care due to flooding risks.

ABTA sees about 2.2 million people opting to spend the weekend abroad, with Good Friday set to witness a peak in outbound travel.

According to aviation analytics firm Cirium, a total of 11,282 flights are set to depart from UK airports over the four-day period, with popular destinations such as Dublin, Amsterdam, Malaga, Alicante and Mallorca.