66 MILLION road journeys to cause Christmas chaos as bad weather and heavy traffic combine to create 'perfect storm', warns AA
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Millions of travellers are facing more major disruption today as bad weather and heavy traffic combine to create a ‘perfect storm’ on the transport network ahead of Christmas. Around 100 flights were cancelled at Heathrow Airport yesterday, with more due today, while roads, ferries and rail services across the UK faced widespread problems during the busiest weekend of the year with 66 million car journeys expected.
![[Queues on the A102 Blackwall Tunnel approach in Greenwich South East London as the Christmas getaway begins on December 21]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/12/21/21/93380859-14217599-Queues_on_the_A102_Blackwall_Tunnel_approach_in_Greenwich_South_-a-4_1734818147338.jpg)
Last night, the Humber Bridge was also closed to high-sided vehicles, with the Forth and Tay bridges shut to double-decker buses and 40mph restrictions imposed on other vehicles until 11pm tonight. It comes after the Met Office issued yellow weather warnings covering northern England, Scotland and parts of Wales and Northern Ireland with some areas facing up to 80mph winds.
![[Motorists in endless queues of traffic trying to get their ferries this morning as they face long delays at the port to get away for their Christmas holidays today]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/12/21/21/93377597-14217599-Holidaymaker_queueing_trying_to_get_their_ferries_this_morning_a-a-5_1734818156004.jpg)
The warning was set to be widened further today to take in south-west England, Derbyshire, Hampshire, parts of the West Midlands and Yorkshire, and all of Wales and Northern Ireland. Yesterday, the AA labelled it the ‘perfect storm’ for travel chaos as an estimated 21.3 million drivers took to the roads today, followed by 22.7 million making their journeys tomorrow and 21.6 million on Christmas Eve.
The RAC warned it could be a ‘pretty exhausting experience’ and urged drivers to ‘be patient’. A Met Office spokesman said: ‘Dangerous coastal conditions can be expected too, with large waves an additional hazard, especially with respect to causeways.’.
![[Met Office has issued yellow weather warnings covering northern England, Scotland and parts of Wales and Northern Ireland with some areas facing up to 80mph winds for Sunday]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/12/21/21/93377163-14217599-On_Saturday_a_yellow_warning_for_wind_came_into_place_from_7am_u-a-6_1734818277028.jpg)
