Congestion expected as Easter weekend approaches

As the Easter weekend approaches, people across the West Midlands will be among millions heading off on getaways.

The AA estimated that 21.7m journeys across the UK had been planned for Thursday.

There are no planned road closures on main routes in the region such as the M6, M54, M5 and M42, however it is expected that the M6 through Birmingham will be a congestion hotspot.

National Highways said it would lift 1,500 miles of roadworks from its network of motorways and major A roads in England between Thursday and Easter Monday to ease journeys.

The expected rush of activity on the roads comes as petrol prices are soaring.

The RAC said the average price of a litre of diesel at UK forecourts on Wednesday was 184.2p, up 29% since the war started on 28 February.

Average petrol prices have reached 153.7p per litre, a rise of 16% over the same period.

Meanwhile, there have been no changes to West Midlands Railway or Transport for Wales services across the Easter weekend in the region.

Birmingham Airport said it was expecting more than 750,000 passengers across the two-week break.

"Customers are reminded that liquids can be carried in hand luggage, electrical items too, and both do not need to be removed during the security search process," said Al Titterington, terminal operations director.

"Our teams are on hand to welcome those jetting off during the holiday period."

Holidaymakers travelling to the European Union have been warned to expect delays on arrival, as countries ramp up the deployment of a new border system.

The EU's Entry Exit System involves people from third-party countries such as the UK having their fingerprints registered and photograph taken to enter the Schengen Area, which consists of 29 European countries, mainly in the EU.

Speaking to BBC Radio WM, Cathy Adams, travel news features editor for the Times and Sunday Times, said there was "nothing you can do in advance".

"There's no need to get to the airport any earlier, you don't need to prepare anything, there's no app you need to download - you just have to be prepared for a bit of a queue," she said.

"We just don't know where the queues are going to be, and it all depends on how well airports are resourced."

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