Drivers are being warned to expect long delays as millions of Britons set off on Easter getaway trips, with Thursday afternoon set to be the busiest.

Meanwhile, airports and airlines expect numbers over the bank holiday weekend and school holidays to return to pre-pandemic levels.

And rail passengers are advised to plan ahead because of engineering works.

Strong winds are forecast for the south of England, forcing the closure of a number of tourist attractions.

Elsewhere in the UK, spells of dry and fairly sunny weather are expected, though the low pressure is likely to mean clouds and downpours, with snow already falling in Devon.

Motoring company RAC warned journeys on popular routes could take twice as long as the bank holiday weekend coincides with the start of the Easter holidays.

A survey by RAC and Transport analysis company Inrix suggested 14 million Easter getaway trips are expected to be made.

Inrix predict Thursday afternoon will see the worst congestion.

"With Easter falling earlier than usual at the start of the school holidays, it could be carmageddon for holidaymakers," an RAC breakdown spokesperson said.

In particular, journeys on the M25, between the M23 for Gatwick the M1 in Hertfordshire, are expected to take over two hours - twice the usual time.

The M5 southbound between Bristol and Taunton is also likely to be congested.

Meanwhile, tourist board Visit England said 11 million people in the UK are planning an overnight trip this Easter.

Airports and airlines are expecting big numbers, in some cases above 2019 levels.

Manchester Airport said it was preparing for about 320,000 passengers this weekend, 8% more than the equivalent last year.

Glasgow Airport said it would have extra staff in place during "three exceptionally busy weekends ahead".

Low-cost airline Easyjet is predicting its busiest ever Easter weekend.

Travellers may have to also contend with the weather, however.

Ryanair issued a warning to travellers on Thursday morning that high winds could disrupt air travel from London.

What about train travel?

Network Rail is urging people to check their journey details before they travel.

There will be disruption on some rail routes over the bank holiday as some major routes close due to engineering work.

London Euston, one of the UK's busiest railway stations, will be closed between Good Friday and Easter Monday - except for London Overground trains.

It is because Network Rail engineering works between London and Milton Keynes will close part of the West Coast Main Line.

There will be replacement buses on this stretch. Avanti West Coast will operate a revised service on its network.

There is more information about other changes to train services around the country on the National Rail website.

The weather has also affected train travel with Great Western Railway (GWR) warning of disruption after flooding at Chipping Sodbury in south Gloucestershire forced a track line to close on Thursday.

Tighter checks at Dover

French authorities at Dover have stepped up border monitoring following the Moscow concert hall attack. Drivers are being advised to plan ahead and leave extra time.

Around 20,000 cars are expected to travel through the port between Thursday and Easter Sunday.

People heading to the Channel Tunnel at the Port of Dover will find the traffic management system Operation Brock in place on the M20.

At peak times over the next few days, Dover has told coach operators that even with the right resources in place at the border, wait times could be up to 2.5 hours.

Eurotunnel told the BBC it was putting on extra shuttles and staff to cope with expected high numbers.

How is the weather looking?

The Easter break is likely to begin with some less-than-preferable weather before calming down through the weekend, says BBC Weather presenter Chris Fawkes.

Overnight rain turned to snow in parts of southwest England and Wales, giving a wintry start to Thursday.

Europe is contending with Storm Nelson, which was named by Spanish forecasters, the winds of which are due to be felt in England's south.

Gusts are likely to reach up to 80mph in France on Thursday, and up to 65mph Portugal, where waves up to 11 metres high will pummel the coast.

Similar wind speeds may be felt in England's most exposed coastal locations, but are more likely to be around the 50mph mark in towns and villages.

High winds have forced a number of tourist attractions to close early, including London's Kew Gardens, parts of Kensington Gardens, a number of National Trust properties in the south west and Dartmoor Zoo.

By Good Friday the UK is set to see a mix of sunshine and showers with the potential for some heavy rain and hail, though temperatures will remain close to average.

Throughout Saturday and Sunday, some showers are expected, though these are unlikely to be as widespread, and slightly warmer temperatures will mean pockets of sunshine will feel quite pleasant.

By Monday wet and windy weather is likely to lash England and Wales, but Scotland and Northern Ireland look to remain pleasant with sunny spells.

Source:
courtesy of BBC NEWS

by Katy Austin, transport correspondent, & Andre Rhoden-Paul

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