'Significant' bank holiday travel delays expected

Road and rail users are being urged to check journey information in advance of travelling over the bank holiday weekend

Commuters across the West Country are being warned of "significant" travel disruption over the bank holiday weekend.

Passengers on CrossCountry trains are being urged to carefully consider travel times due to on-going strikes with all services cancelled on Saturday 23 August and a reduced service running from 0800–1600 BST on Monday 25 August.

Managing Director of CrossCountry, Shiona Rolfe, said the Rail and Maritime Unions (RMT) decision to strike on Saturday and Monday left the company "disappointed for our passengers".

Meanwhile, the RAC has warned motorists of long delays on the roads with millions of additional journeys being taken over the August bank holiday period.

The RAC has urged drivers to set off as early as possible or to "be prepared to spend longer in traffic"

Ms Rolfe said CrossCountry understood the "inevitable disruption" a rail strike would cause over the bank holiday, assuring users they were in talks with the RMT to "try and reach an agreement".

There will be no CrossCountry service between Birmingham, Reading and the South Coast, and no service between Leicester, Cambridge and Stansted Airport with only a very limited service to the South West and north of York.

Network Rail joined CrossCountry in urging passengers to check ahead of travelling over the weekend with the providers current engineering projects potentially affecting rail travel.

Transport company Inrix predicts the M5 between Bristol and Devon to have the most severe holiday traffic, with junction 15, north of Bristol, to junction 23 (Bridgwater) likely to see delays of more than 40 minutes on Friday and Saturday.

Nick Mullender, RAC mobile servicing and repairs team leader, said: "With this bank holiday being the last opportunity to enjoy a long weekend before Christmas, our study shows a real eagerness to get out and about with nearly 18 million drivers planning getaway trips.

"More traffic on the roads will inevitably lead to more vehicle breakdowns, especially if the sun makes an appearance and people decide on the day to visit popular destinations," he added.

They are expecting roads to airports and coastal getaways to be "extremely busy," he added.