UK Braces for Bank Holiday Disruption Amid Thunderstorm Warnings and Strikes
Severe weather and industrial action threaten travel plans for millions across England, Wales, and Northern Ireland.
Sarah Connor
Homes and businesses in Birmingham were deluged by water up to 3ft deep as roads became rivers overnight.
An estimated 20 million leisure car trips will clog roads between Friday and Monday, August 31, the RAC projects. VisitEngland data indicates 10.6 million Britons plan an overnight UK trip, while Ryanair expects to carry 860,000 passengers through 22 UK airports.
Significant transport disruptions loom, with the East Coast Main Line reportedly closed between London King’s Cross and Peterborough on Sunday for digital signalling work.
No trains will run between Stafford and Wolverhampton on Sunday, and disruption is expected in the Leeds area from Saturday through Monday, August 31. Further complicating travel, members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) at East Midlands Railway (EMR) are striking on Sunday and bank holiday Monday.
Heavy downpours are expected across the UK, with the north of England, Scotland, and Northern Ireland anticipated to be particularly affected. Some areas have already experienced 50 to 75mm (2-3in) of rain, lightning, and hail, with temperatures reaching up to 28C (82F).
Gusts of up to 35mph are possible on the south coast on Saturday, though temperatures are expected to be around average for late August, ranging from 16-23C (61-73F) across the UK. Thousands of Reading Festival attendees were seen braving the rain while setting up camp.
An estimated 100,000 people are expected to attend the Reading Festival, which runs from Thursday, August 27 to Sunday, August 30. The late August bank holiday weekend is predicted to be cooler, windier, and wetter than much of the preceding summer.