Inrix, an analytics company, anticipates that road travel times will be 14% longer compared to the same period last year due to the shortage of trains.
On Christmas Eve, at 6:00 p.m., there will be additional rail strikes, causing travel agony for families going home for the holiday.
On Saturday evening, thousands of Rail, Maritime, and Transport (RMT) union workers at Network Rail strike, prompting train services to end at 3 p.m.
Several operators, such as Chiltern Railways, East Midlands Railway, and South Western Railway, are experiencing significant service disruptions on Friday due to a ban on overtime.
Inrix, an analytics business, anticipates that vehicle travel times would be 14% longer than they were during the same period last year due to the lack of trains.
A perfect combination of torrential rain and motorway incidents has contributed to the strain on the United Kingdom’s transport networks.
The AA has warned that accidents on the M1 and floods that have forced a partial shutdown of the M25 are among the factors creating considerable traffic congestion on Friday before Christmas.
The insurance provider reported attending 9,000 breakdowns during the course of the day, with more predicted as commuters continue to join the rush-hour traffic.
The RAC encouraged drivers to conduct pre-trip vehicle inspections to minimize the likelihood of experiencing a breakdown.
National Highways stated that around 98 percent of England’s major motorways and A-roads will be fully operational by the end of January 2 due to the completion and removal of roadwork.
Additional attacks on Christmas Eve
Every day in December has witnessed strikes, and Christmas Eve is no exception.
Communication Workers Union (CWU) members are walking out in a protracted dispute over pay and Royal Mail’s modernization plans.
Environment Agency Unison employees will refuse to volunteer for incident response, as the National Highway workers’ strike continues in London and the South East.
Border Force officials at Birmingham, Cardiff, Gatwick, Glasgow, and Manchester airports, as well as terminals 2, 3, 4, and 5 at Heathrow and the Port of Newhaven, will be on strike until the 26th of December, which could cause delays for those wishing to fly into the United Kingdom.
Heathrow, the busiest airport in the United Kingdom, continues to operate “smoothly,” according to a spokesperson.
Despite the striking workers, there have been no flight disruptions or long lines at immigration halls, according to the source.
The nurses announce additional strike dates
The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) has stated that tens of thousands of nurses will strike again on January 18 and 19.
The union has stated that other strike dates will be announced in the new year.
It comes after nurses went on strike on the 15th and 20th of December over a pay dispute, and only days after health sector leaders cautioned the government about the threat to patient safety posed by the industrial action.
Pat Cullen, general secretary of the RCN, stated, “The government had the opportunity to end this dispute before the holiday season, but instead they have decided to force nursing personnel back out into the cold in January.”
I do not wish for this dispute to continue, but the prime minister has left us with no other option.
