There were long queues throughout the network with the M4 closing in both directions following an explosion at an industrial building “which probably contained fireworks and fireworks”. Passengers were also hit by delays at airports amid continuing staff shortages, chaos of M25 accidents and parts of London were halted thanks to Extinction Rebellion protesters.
British Airways has reportedly stopped loading luggage on some flights and is leaving dozens of planes unattended as it struggles to cope with the overwhelming demand for the Easter weekend. Hundreds of cancellations in recent weeks due to staff shortages, leaving tens of thousands of Britons stranded at airports across the UK. The M4 Freeway in Newbury closed in both directions after a large building containing fireworks and fireworks exploded at noon today. The motorists faced significant delays after the road was closed with the fire brigade addressing the issue. Families hoping to escape the glorious sunshine on the second day faced long queues after a car accident in Surrey and a separate “police incident” at Dartford Crossing stopped traffic The incident on M4 took place at 1:41 p.m. between Junction 13-14 in Westbrook, Newbury. Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue said they believe there are possible fireworks and fireworks at the scene. Emergency services have put a major blockade around the area, while the National Highways have closed the M4 after a rain of debris on both sides of the road. Firefighters asked the public to avoid the spot when dealing with the incident. According to the National Road: “The M4 is closed in both directions between J13 – J14 due to a large fire in a building near the M4 that caused debris to land on the road. “Thames Valley police are leading the operation and the Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service is working to control the blaze. “If this closure affects your planned route, allow extra travel time. Plan ahead, you may want to change the route or even delay your trip. Families hoping to flee the UK on the second day of glorious sunshine met in long queues after a car accident in Surrey and a separate “police incident” at Dartford Crossing led to a dead end.
In a statement, he said: “We are currently at the scene of an incident at #Dartford River Crossing. “We were summoned to worry about the well-being of a woman in the area shortly after 10 a.m. today, Saturday, April 16th. “The crossing is closed as the incident is being handled. The Highways will facilitate the diversion through one of the tunnels. “We will inform about the situation as soon as possible.” The drivers had a chaotic start to the Easter holidays, although the traffic today is not believed to be as congested as the escape on Good Friday, according to AA. The motorists had a chaotic start during the Easter holidays, although the traffic today is not believed to be as congested as the escape on Good Friday, according to AA. Essex police are urging people to avoid Dartford Crossing after being called to the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge earlier today for a “police incident”. The carmaker has predicted that a total of 27.6 million trips will be made during a busier-than-usual Easter weekend, as people enjoy the good weather, start their stay and avoid train travel due to engineering work. A collision caused delays of up to 40 minutes on part of the M6 ​​earlier on Saturday, according to AA President Edmund King. He added that the routes to the southwest were not as busy as on Good Friday, but there were some delays on the M4 and M5 near Bristol. He said: “Today the traffic was busy, but less congested than on Good Friday. “I drove 176 miles in three and a half hours from Hertfordshire to Old Trafford and loaded the car on the road. “In general, the image is busy, but generally the traffic is flowing.” The RAC has suggested that the best time to travel on the main roads is after 3 p.m. both on Saturday and Easter Sunday and then either before 10.30 a.m. on Easter Monday or after 6.30 p.m. to avoid long queues. National Highway alerted people to a “police incident” on the QEII bridge earlier today Meanwhile, the British also had problems on trains, ferries and airports where they tried to escape for the four-day weekend. Staff shortages have wreaked havoc at Manchester, Birmingham and Heathrow airports amid growing demand for Easter getaways, with airlines canceling hundreds of flights. A total of 1,236 flights to the UK were canceled by airlines between March 28 and April 12, according to data firm Cirium – a 428 percent increase over the same period in 2019. Queues to land at Dover Harbor, meanwhile, have been running for hours, with some drivers waiting almost days for delayed ships due to ongoing problems with P&O. There have also been some reports of fuel shortages, although the Petroleum Retailers Association (PRA), which represents independent courtyards, said it was not aware of any widespread problems. Gordon Ballmer, executive director of PRA, said: “We are witnessing protests in many fuel stations. However, the majority is not affected. “Fuel suppliers work hard to ensure that fuel is delivered as quickly as possible and that our members work closely with them and follow their advice.” A female driver in London said: “(I) have not been able to (fill) so far, I’m still trying to find some in East London, in Newham. “I tried about five different gas stations, I managed to get some now at a Texaco gas station, but only two pumps were working.”