Huge queues on the roads and at ports and train stations as the holidays got delayed

People trying to get away this weekend are facing huge delays due to the volume of traffic and a number of delays. Traffic has come to a standstill on the A20 heading towards Dover in Kent as people flock to the port in an attempt to reach the mainland.

There are reports of long check-in delays at Heathrow Airport and Manchester Airport, with a number of flights canceled in London. Eurostar passengers at St Pancras station are desperately trying to get alternative tickets to Paris after an arson fire in France caused train cancellations.

Four trains from London to Paris were canceled on Saturday, affecting thousands of passengers, with disruption expected to last until Monday. Travelers have been advised to postpone their journeys where possible.

Only a few seats were available to book on the remaining Eurostar services from London to Paris on Saturday, while tickets for overnight coaches arriving in the French capital on Sunday morning were selling for £197 through Flixbus.

The disruption came as the 2024 Paris Olympics got underway and millions were expected to embark on summer getaways.

A worried Parisian mother said Friday’s canceled 4.31pm train meant her 12-year-old daughter was waiting alone in a Paris cafe after plans to pick her up on Saturday morning fell through in the chaos. Zissia Patel, 46, said: “My daughter is alone in a cafe in Paris so I want to be with her. He’s only 12 years old.”

The university administrator, who was visiting family in London, said he was told he could not rebook online on another train and had to come to St Pancras. Ms Patel said: “I’m just trying to keep my cool. My child is alone in a coffee shop.”

Olivia Atwell cried as she waited behind Mrs Patel in the Eurostar queue. The 26-year-old Australian said she had not slept since boarding a 5.40am flight from Sydney to London on Friday to watch her cousin Amy compete in women’s basketball at the Olympics.

Ms Atwell, an accountant from Sydney, said: “I haven’t slept. If I don’t take the train, I’ll take a flight to Paris.”

Motorists are being warned to expect a “weekend of woe” on the roads as millions of families embark on getaway trips after many schools in England and Wales broke up for the summer this week. The RAC estimated that 13.8 million UK motorists will embark on leisure journeys before the end of the day on Sunday.

That would make it the second-busiest summer holiday weekend since 2015, behind 2022, when 18.8 million hit the road amid a heatwave and two years of coronavirus lockdowns.

3.6 million and 2.9 million trips are scheduled for Saturday and Sunday, respectively, with about four million more expected at some point between Friday and Sunday. Transport analytics company Inrix has warned drivers who want to avoid the worst delays to avoid driving between 12pm and 5pm on Friday or Saturday and between 11am and 1pm on Sunday.

Delays are likely to start on the M55 westbound from Preston to Blackpool and on the A23 southbound from Pease Pottage to Brighton services. The worst queues are expected to be more than two hours on Saturday lunchtime on the M5 southbound from junction 15 near Bristol to junction 23 for Bridgwater as tourists flock to Devon and Cornwall .

RAC spokeswoman Alice Simpson said: “To avoid a weekend of misery on the roads during one of the busiest times of the year, we would advise as many people as possible to leave as early as possible to try and disperse journeys with the car for a longer period. point. Any tourist – whether driving to a UK destination or heading overseas – should plan their journeys carefully and allow plenty of extra time before they set off.”

Inrix transport analyst Bob Pishue said: “Drivers should expect long queues on major roads when heading to and from destinations during this summer getaway. Being flexible about your route – whether it’s the time you leave or a longer journey in kilometers with fewer delays – could also reduce the stress of being held up and make for a more enjoyable journey. pleasant.”

An RAC survey indicated that 11% of drivers drove to a holiday destination knowing there was a problem with their vehicle. Ms Simpson said the survey results were “of great concern”.

She urged all drivers to make sure their cars are ready for the trip by fixing any outstanding issues and to check oil, coolant and tread and tire pressure before setting off. The survey of 2,435 UK adults was carried out by research company Find Out Now between July 8 and 12.