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Summer UK holiday traffic chaos warning - where are the flashpoints and when is best to travel?

The RAC says around 12.6 million leisure trips by road will take place between Friday and Monday, causing "bumper-to-bumper traffic" and there are also expected delays at ports and warnings of strikes affecting flights and airports.

Tuesday 18 July 2023 16:51, UK

Drivers are being warned to expect long delays this weekend as nearly 13 million getaway journeys are planned.

The RAC said around 12.6 million leisure trips by road will take place between Friday and Monday, causing "bumper-to-bumper traffic".

The majority of schools in England and Wales break up for summer on Friday - which is set to be the worst day for congestion as holidaymakers embark on day trips or holidays by car.

Traffic hotspots will include the M5 south from near Bristol (Junction 15) to Bridgwater (Junction 23), which is a popular route for holidaymakers travelling to the southwest, according to Transport analysis company Inrix.

There are also likely to be delays on the M25 clockwise between Junction 10 for the A3 to Kingston and Junction 6 for the A22 to East Grinstead, it predicts.

Drivers wanting to avoid long queues are advised not to travel on major roads between late morning and early evening from Thursday to Sunday.

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RAC spokesman Rod Dennis said routes heading south and west are likely to encounter some of the longest queues.

"Anyone using the M5 southbound from Bristol should anticipate bumper-to-bumper traffic, with those travelling outside peak periods most likely to have a better journey," he said.

"We're seeing an enormous increase in breakdowns this year as drivers dependent on their vehicles for leisure and work contend with cripplingly high prices, leading to some scrimping on car maintenance as a result.

"It's for this reason we're urging drivers to take action to avoid a summer surge of breakdowns.

"No driver should set off before a long journey without carrying out a few basic checks to ensure their cars have got the right levels of oil and coolant, as well as making sure all tyres have plenty of tread and are properly inflated."

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Read more: How the heatwave will impact your holiday Gatwick strikes: What you need to know if you're going on holiday Workers pour with sweat in heatwave - but they have little choice

Meanwhile, holidaymakers sailing from the Port of Dover are being warned to expect two-and-a-half hour delays this week during the peak hours of 6am to 1pm during the first couple of Saturdays and Sundays of the summer holidays.

The port is urging car passengers embarking on summer getaways from Friday to arrive up to three hours before their booked sailing.

Port of Dover chief executive Doug Bannister said his staff have done "everything we possibly can" to minimise delays - and warned unforeseen circumstances such as technical issues, industrial action or road traffic accidents on the approaches into the port "could throw us some more challenges".

UK airports are also expected to be busy - though hundreds of thousands of flights across Europe this summer are in jeopardy following a vote by air traffic controllers to take strike action.

Almost 1,000 workers at Gatwick Airport, including baggage handlers and check-in staff, will stage eight days of strikes from later this month.

Budget airline easyJet announced earlier this month that it had been forced to cancel 1,700 flights during the peak summer holiday season in response to the impact of air traffic control strikes in Europe and knock-on effects of the closure of airspace due to the Russia-Ukraine war.

In addition, the heatwave gripping Spain, Italy, Greece and Europe's other most popular holiday destinations is impacting people's getaways, with some British holidaymakers cancelling or changing their travel plans due to the extreme weather conditions, with forecasters predicting even higher temperatures this week.

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What do the warning colours mean?

Red warning.

• Dangerous weather is expected and, if you have not done so already, you should take action now to keep yourself and others safe from the impact of the severe weather.
• It is very likely that there will be a risk to life, with substantial disruption to travel, energy supplies and possibly widespread damage to property and infrastructure.

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• There is an increased likelihood of impacts from severe weather, which could potentially disrupt your plans.
• This means there is the possibility of travel delays, road and rail closures, power cuts and the potential risk to life and property.

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• It is important to read the content of yellow warnings to determine which weather situation is being covered by the warning.

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Subscribe or share, a small chance of flooding and disruption from heavy showers and thunderstorms on sunday in a few places., what should i expect.

• Spray and sudden flooding could lead to difficult driving conditions and some road closures
• Where flooding or lightning strikes occur, there is a chance of delays and some cancellations to train and bus services
• There is a slight chance that power cuts could occur and other services to some homes and businesses could be lost
• There is a small chance that homes and businesses could be flooded quickly, with damage to some buildings from floodwater, lightning strikes, hail or strong winds

What should I do?

Further detail.

A few showers and isolated thunderstorms are expected to develop across parts of southern England on Saturday night, but by Sunday morning there is an increasing risk of more active and organised heavy showers and thunderstorms moving in to, or developing across, parts of southern England. The risk of storms will then steadily transfer broadly northwards through the afternoon and into the early evening. The extent of these thunderstorms is very uncertain, and many places will miss them, but where they do occur, 30 to 40 mm of rain may fall in less than an hour with perhaps over 75 mm in one or two places, leading to a chance of flooding and disruption. Frequent lightning strikes and hail will be additional hazards, most likely across southern and central England.

Why is the warning yellow?

This warning has a very low likelihood and a medium impact.

10:29 (UTC+1) on Sat 31 Aug 2024

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Warning over potential 15-week delays amid busy Leicester road project

The city council plans to repair uneven pavement in the area

• 15:18, 30 AUG 2024

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Drivers are being warned lane closures could be necessary on a busy city road over the next 15 weeks. Parts of Melton Road could shut to traffic to allow for uneven pavements along the popular shopping street to be repaired safely, Leicester City Council said.

The potential restrictions would be in place between Ascot Road and Checketts Road should the council deem them necessary, and temporary signals would be put in place to manage traffic. Currently, the authority is only saying the closures “may be required”.

Work to improve the paths along Melton Road will begin this Sunday, September 1, and are expected to be carried out in phases over the next 15 weeks. The scheme will include new surfaces being laid and new drainage being installed.

READ MORE: Why council has spent £763k on new fleet of cleaning machines amid bankruptcy concerns

The scheme will come out of the authority’s highways maintenance budget to the tune of £250,000. Further stretches of Melton Road expected to undergo the same treatment in future years, if the necessary funding is available to the cash-strapped authority . The plan follows similar work in Leicester’s Narborough Road which saw the areas “spruced up” over three years.

City mayor Sir Peter Soulsby said: “This first phase of investment in repairing and replacing broken and uneven pavements on part of Melton Road will help improve the look and feel of area and make it more attractive for residents and shoppers. Projects like this are an important part of ensuring that our neighbourhood shopping streets and busy routes into the city stay looking their best.”

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Watch & listen

Japan has been hit by one of its strongest typhoons in decades

Torrential rain and gusts of 252 km per hour (157mph) hit the south of the country, although the typhoon has now weakened to a "severe tropical storm"

At least four people have been killed with more than 80 injured

"I just wanted to survive," says one woman caught in the storm, while another person calls it "out of this world"

More than five million people in the south of the country have been told to evacuate

At least 237,000 homes are without power and more than 700 flights are cancelled

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Watch: Typhoon wreaks havoc in Japan's Miyazaki prefecture

Live Reporting

Edited by Emily McGarvey

Millions told to evacuate in Japan - here's what to know published at 15:23 British Summer Time 29 August 15:23 BST 29 August

It's close to 23:30 local time in Japan (13:30 FMT), and we're ending our live coverage shortly. Here’s what you need to know from today:

What Happened: Typhoon Shanshan, now downgraded to a “severe tropical storm,” is still causing havoc with rain and gusts hitting southern Japan.

Human Impact: Shanshan has triggered landslides and roof collapses, resulting in at least four deaths. At least 94 people are injured, and one person is still missing. A body was found in the sea, but it’s unclear if it’s the missing person. Hundreds of thousands of homes are without power.

Economic Impact: Trains suspended, highways closed, and over 700 flights cancelled. Companies like Toyota have halted production across Japan.

What Will Happen: Shanshan is moving slowly, which means more heavy rain is on the way. Some areas could see over 700mm of rain. The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) is warning both western and eastern Japan to brace for more landslides and flooding.

• You can read more updates on this story, here

What is a typhoon? published at 15:15 British Summer Time 29 August 15:15 BST 29 August

Typhoons are common in Japan, with the season peaking during August and September.

According to the Japan Meteorological Agency, 25 cyclones of tropical storm strength or higher are recorded in the north-west Pacific in a typical year, of which an average of three will make landfall in Japan.

Some of these will be strong enough to be classified as typhoons – as was the case with Shanshan.

A typhoon is a deep area of low pressure that forms from an organised cluster of thunderstorms over warm tropical waters.

Fed by the warmth of the ocean, with sea surface temperatures above 27C (81F), these weather systems can strengthen rapidly to bring powerful winds, dangerous seas and flooding rain.

Typhoons are the same as hurricanes - the only difference is where they form. Hurricane is the term used for storms that form in the Atlantic or eastern Pacific, whereas typhoon is used in the north-west Pacific.

Travellers concerned about heavy rain affecting plans published at 15:05 British Summer Time 29 August 15:05 BST 29 August

Tourist Leila Wong is worried she'll miss her flight back to the US

Travellers on the ground in Japan say rainfall is now a concern after severe tropical storm Shanshan caused major travel disruption.

Norimasa Sakanoshita, 47, who travelled from Tokyo to attend a meeting in Fukuoka, says: "This typhoon is scary. In terms of disaster, we are getting a large amount of rain so I don’t know what will happen going forward," he tells Reuters news agency.

A tourist from New York, Leila Wong, who's travelling across Japan with her family, says she was stranded in Fukuoka after trains to Tokyo were cancelled due to heavy rain and winds.

"I'm concerned because I obviously do not want to miss our flights back to New York on September 2nd," she says.

"If the power failures continue to go on for the next couple of days, then... we'll be stuck here a little bit longer."

Read our BBC Future Earth newsletter published at 14:40 British Summer Time 29 August 14:40 BST 29 August

Did you know you can get exclusive insight and analysis on climate and environment news delivered to your inbox every week?

Sign up for our Future Earth newsletter to get the latest from the BBC's Climate Editor Justin Rowlatt.

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How is climate change affecting typhoons? published at 14:28 British Summer Time 29 August 14:28 BST 29 August

Mark Poynting Climate reporter

Typhoons - also called hurricanes or tropical cyclones in other parts of the world - are powerful storms that develop in warm tropical ocean waters.

The causes of these storms are complex, making it difficult to say exactly how much of a role climate change has played in the intensity of Typhoon Shanshan.

But rising temperatures can affect these storms in several ways.

Firstly, warmer ocean waters mean storms can pick up more energy, leading to higher wind speeds.

Secondly, a warmer atmosphere can hold more moisture, leading to more intense rainfall.

Thirdly, rising average sea-levels - mainly due to melting land ice and warmer ocean water taking up more space - means that there is a greater risk of coastal flooding from storm surges.

In future, while the number of typhoons may decrease overall across East and South East Asia, these storms are expected to generally become even more intense when they do occur, according to the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

• Read more about how climate change is affecting hurricanes, typhoons and tropical cyclones here

WATCH: Typhoon Shanshan weakens but expect huge rainfall published at 14:17 British Summer Time 29 August 14:17 BST 29 August

Typhoon Shanshan pummels Japan

Typhoon Shanshan has weakened to a severe tropical storm but the risk of flooding remains. The BBC's Ben Rich has the latest forecast details.

Storm grinds road, rail and flights to a halt published at 14:08 British Summer Time 29 August 14:08 BST 29 August

Transit systems have announced cancellations, delays and disruption as severe tropical storm Shanshan makes it way through Japan.

Shinkansen bullet trains have been suspended in parts of Kyushu for all of today and tomorrow.

Rail operators say that services could be impacted all weekend as storm conditions persist.

Japan Airlines says 271 flights were cancelled today, affecting 14,700 passengers, and another 280 flights scheduled for tomorrow have been halted.

All Nippon Airways suspended 223 flights, affecting 20,400 passengers, with another 379 cancellations expected over the next two days.

Most of the cancelled services cover the Kyushu, Chugoku and Shikoku regions.

Highway operations have also asked motorists to check the latest road information and consider altering their plans as traffic restrictions are imposed across large parts of Japan.

The Minamikyushu Expressway has been closed due to heavy rain and strong winds, and scores of other major motorways have been partially shut.

Man, 80, dies after roof collapses published at 13:45 British Summer Time 29 August 13:45 BST 29 August

Another person has died during Typhoon Shanshan, raising the death toll to four, local police say.

An 80-year-old man from Tokushima prefecture was trapped after the roof of a house collapsed about 17:30 local time (08:30 GMT) today, according to Japan’s national broadcaster NHK.

The fire brigade rescued the man around 50 minutes after the incident but he later died in hospital.

The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) recorded 110mm of rainfall in the area around the time of the incident.

Japanese manufacturing giants halt operations published at 13:31 British Summer Time 29 August 13:31 BST 29 August

Car maker Toyota has suspended production at all 14 of its factories across Japan as Typhoon Shanshan, which has been downgraded to a severe tropical storm, makes its way towards the country's main island, Honshu.

Nissan and Honda have halted operations at their plants in Kyushu, the southern island hardest hit by the storm.

Semiconductor firms Renesas, Tokyo Electron and Rohm have also paused work at some factories in the path of the storm.

Submerged buses and battered umbrellas: Latest pictures of Typhoon Shanshan published at 13:22 British Summer Time 29 August 13:22 BST 29 August

A bus submerged in Yufu city, Oita prefecture

Pedestrians battling the wind and rain as they cross the road in Kagoshima, south-western Japan

Body found in sea near Kagoshima published at 13:10 British Summer Time 29 August 13:10 BST 29 August

The Japan Coast Guard says a body was found in the sea near Kagoshima at about 13:30 local time (04:30 GMT) today, according to Japanese broadcaster NHK.

The identity of the person has yet to be confirmed. Earlier authorities said one person was missing at sea - it's not known if it's the same person.

Kagoshima is on the southern Kyushu Island, south of Fukuoka

What's the latest? published at 12:48 British Summer Time 29 August 12:48 BST 29 August

A woman in Fukuoka on the southern Kyushu Island on Thursday

Typhoon Shanshan made landfall in Japan at 08:00 local time today (23:00 GMT) and has left at least three people dead since developing off the coast earlier this week.

What's the human impact?

Three people have been confirmed dead after their home was damaged late on Tuesday. At least 84 have been injured, according to Japan's national broadcaster NHK. More than five million people have been advised to evacuate - it's not known how many have done so.

Has infrastructure been affected?

More than 700 flights have been cancelled, and two high speed railways suspended. More than 80 sections of highway were also suspended. Meanwhile, over 230,000 homes were without electricity this morning and 90 without water.

What has it been like for people on the ground?

One woman told a local TV station she didn't think she could live through the strong winds, "I just wanted to survive", she said. A man described a tornado as "out of this world", adding that it was "spooky" to look at.

What can we expect later?

In a news conference this morning, Japan's chief cabinet secretary warned the "slow" moving typhoon could mean large amounts of rainfall. Since then, Japan's weather agency has predicted 1,200mm (43in) rain in southern Kyushu by tomorrow morning. As for the typhoon itself - it's heading northwards.

Typhoon Shanshan will likely trigger significant flooding published at 12:23 British Summer Time 29 August 12:23 BST 29 August

Typhoon Shanshan has been the strongest typhoon in the western Pacific so far this year.

Sustained winds in the centre of the storm were estimated at 175km/h (110mph) shortly before landfall in Kagoshima province, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA).

This means Shanshan was categorised as a “very strong typhoon” – the second highest category on the scale.

It has now weakened, and is classed as a severe tropical storm. But the danger is far from over.

Shanshan is set to stall across the south of Japan, producing huge amounts of rain.

It is likely that some locations will get 700mm (27in), with some computer models hinting at close to 1m (39in) of rain over the next five days.

Further significant flooding and landslides look inevitable.

Significant rainfall is predicted in southern Japan over the next five days

At least 84 injured, Japanese media report published at 12:11 British Summer Time 29 August 12:11 BST 29 August

Japan’s national broadcaster is reporting that at least 84 people have been injured since Typhoon Shanshan made landfall.

Most of the injuries have been recorded in Miyazaki prefecture, on the southern island of Kyushu, NHK reports. It has been heavily hit by gusts and rainfall in the last 24 hours with at least 35 people injured there.

In Kagoshima, a prefecture that also suffered significant damage, 24 people have injured.

There is still one person missing and three people have been confirmed dead.

Typhoon Shanshan brings parts of Japan to a standstill published at 11:41 British Summer Time 29 August 11:41 BST 29 August

Two travellers searching for alternative flights at Haneda Airport in Tokyo

We can bring you more detail of travel disruption after Chief Cabinet Secretary Hayashi earlier told reporters that over 700 flights have been cancelled.

Airlines, including ANA Holdings and Japan Airlines, have halted hundreds of domestic flights for Thursday and Friday, affecting around 40,000 passengers.

Rail operators have suspended Shinkansen bullet trains in many areas of Kyushu, while hundreds of bus and ferry services have also been halted, according to the transport ministry.

Hakata station in Fukuoka is empty after train services ground to a halt

A man reads the cancellation notices in Fukuoka's Tenjin station

Predicted path of Typhoon Shanshan: Where is it going next? published at 11:23 British Summer Time 29 August 11:23 BST 29 August

Typhoon Shanshan made landfall at 08:00 local time (23:00 GMT) on Kyushu, the southernmost of Japan's major islands.

Here's where the storm has made an impact so far and where it's expected to go next:

• Before making landfall, the typhoon was packing gusts of up to 252km/h (157mph)
• When it hit the city of Kagoshima, top speeds eased to 198km/h (123mph)
• A few hours later, the city of Unzen - near Nagasaki - recorded gusts of 50 metres per second (164ft per second)
• Heavy winds, rains and destruction have now been reported in cities across Kyushu, from Miyazaki in the south to Fukuoka and Usa in the north of the island
• Japan's weather agency has predicted 1,100mm (43in) of rain in southern Kyushu by tomorrow morning
• The typhoon is moving north at about 15km/h (9mph), heading towards the main island of Honshu

Millions of evacuation orders issued across Japan published at 11:14 British Summer Time 29 August 11:14 BST 29 August

More than 5.2 million people in Japan have been ordered to evacuate from their homes, Japanese authorities say.

Most of the orders are in place for the southern Kyushu island, but some are also in place for central Japan.

The Japan Meteorological Agency says that for level 4 emergency warnings - highlighted in the purple sections in the below map - all residents are advised to "evacuate from affected areas".

The maximum emergency warning is a level 5, which are rarely issued and would indicate a life-threatening situation.

Level 4 emergency warnings are highlighted in purple

'Slow' moving typhoon leaves thousands in the dark, Japanese official says published at 11:04 British Summer Time 29 August 11:04 BST 29 August

Heavy rains yesterday in Kagoshima

We can now bring you some updates from a press conference that recently wrapped up, where government officials told reporters that the typhoon is slowly making its way across the country.

As of 09:00 local time, Yoshimasa Hayashi, the chief cabinet secretary, confirmed that three people have died and one person remains missing .

Two people have been severely injured and another five more are suffering mild injuries, Hayashi adds.

Meanwhile, 87 sections of the highway have been suspended and 703 flights are cancelled.

Two high-speed rail lines - Kyushu Shinkansen and Nishi Kyushu Shinkansen - have been suspended.

There are 237,000 homes now without electricity - mainly in the Kyushu area - and 90 housing units have no water.

He describes the movement of the typhoon as "slow", warning it may lead to a large amount of rainfall. Predictions can't yet be made about the economic and social impact, Hayashi adds.

'I just wanted to survive' published at 10:53 British Summer Time 29 August 10:53 BST 29 August

Chika Nakayama Reporting from Tokyo

A man in Kagoshima earlier today

Typhoon Shanshan made landfall on the southern island of Kyushu in the last 24 hours, and residents have begun sharing what it was like for gusts of 252 km/h (157mph) to rip across the land.

Quote Message The wind was so strong, I didn’t think I can live through it. I just wanted to survive. [I] never experienced anything like it."

These were the words of one woman in Makurazaki - a city in Kagoshima prefecture, on the island - who was speaking on local TV this morning.

Elsewhere, I saw footage of a teacher running back inside a nursery after he spotted what appeared to be a tornado heading his way in Miyazaki.

"It was out of the world," another man who saw the tornado said. "It was so spooky to look at."

Watch: Buildings damaged and cars blown over in Miyazaki published at 10:47 British Summer Time 29 August 10:47 BST 29 August

Miyazaki - one of the Japanese prefectures that Typhoon Shanshan tore through in the last 24 hours - has had cars overturned, buildings damaged and trees uprooted.

About 600mm (nearly two feet) of rain fell in parts of Miyazaki, the Japan Meteorological Agency said. That's more in one day than the entire average rainfall for all of August, it said.

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Four Dead as Typhoon Hits Southern Japan. BBC News. Video Four Dead as Typhoon Hits Southern Japan

NEWS... BUT NOT AS YOU KNOW IT

Bionic suit marathon fundraiser Claire Lomas dies in accident

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Claire Lomas, who became the first person to complete a marathon in a bionic suit and raised thousands for charity, has died.

The paralysed mum of two was killed in an ‘accident’ in Jordan, in the Middle East, the Melton Times reports.

Claire broke her back and ribs and punctured a lung when her horse threw her off as she took part in the Osberton Horse Trials in Nottinghamshire 17 years ago.

The former chiropractor, from Eye Kettleby, near Melton Mowbray in Leicestershire, completed the London Marathon in 17 days in 2012 using a special bionic suit and raised thousands of pounds for the Spinal Research charity.

Claire, a mum of two, was also a motivational speaker, a qualified pilot and made an MBE in 2017.

In statement given to the Melton Times, her family said: ‘We are absolutely devastated to lose Claire.

‘We would ask people to respect our privacy in the coming days to allow us to grieve in peace.’

Tara Stewart, chairwoman of Spinal Research, which funds medical research around the world to develop reliable treatments for paralysis caused by a broken back or neck, said: ‘We are deeply shocked and saddened to hear of Claire’s death.

‘She was a great supporter of ours, and other spinal injury charities, and a guiding light to the entire community.

‘It was in 2012 that she raised a staggering amount for Spinal Research by walking the London Marathon over 17 days in a robotic suit and she continued to be a powerhouse of positivity and a real inspiration to so many.

‘This is a devastating loss and our thoughts are with her family.’

Great Run posted on X, formerly Twitter, saying: “We are deeply saddened to hear of the passing of the inspirational fundraiser, Claire Lomas MBE.

‘Claire made history as the first person in the UK to walk with a bionic ReWalk suit, inspiring runners across the UK and beyond.

‘Over the past decade, Claire completed many Great Run Series events alongside her dedicated support team, as part of an incredible fundraising drive, raising almost £1 million for charities.’

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