Bank holiday travel disruption persists

Rail strikes and ongoing engineering works threaten weekend travel as millions head for bank holiday getaways.

Travellers warned of bank holiday disruption

Millions of people in the UK face travel disruption this bank holiday weekend as a rail strike by the RMT union continues to affect services on major routes. CrossCountry services from Aberdeen to Cornwall are among the hardest hit, with trains canceled or delayed and timetable changes in place. Engineering works on several lines are also planned, narrowing options for travelers.

Road travel is expected to swell as three million getaway journeys are planned on Friday, according to the RAC. The M5 corridor between Bristol and Devon is likely to see heavy congestion. The forecast weather is mostly dry, and crowds at festivals around the country are adding to demand for transport options.

The disruption highlights how public transport depends on a mix of agreements with staff, maintenance schedules, and predictable funding. Peak periods expose the fragility of a timetable that relies on many moving parts.

Travelers will judge how well rail and bus services reroute, how quickly information is shared, and how governments respond to calls for more reliable funding and longer term planning.

Highlights

The weekend will test how well the system communicates and adapts to disruption.