Music lovers braved the rain as they put on their ponchos and prepared for a weekend of stellar line-ups at Reading and Leeds Festivals – the first large-scale gigs since restrictions were eased.Meanwhile, hundreds of people also flocked to the beaches across the UK today, including Dorset and Cornwall, to make the most of the warm day, despite some overcast spells.But, it looks like there could be plenty of traffic jams over the Bank Holiday Weekend while more people head for the seaside tomorrow as temperatures reach as high as 77F.Revellers at the Leeds and Berkshire mass gatherings are being urged to test for Covid before they flock to the festivals and when they return, and not to visit older or more vulnerable loved ones in the days after the events amid another surge of the virus.Aerial pictures showed densely packed queues streaming through the turnstiles as organisers battled to deal with the additional checks they must carry out before the festivals kick off today.It is hoped the vaccines will prevent a similar situation to last autumn, with one Government adviser saying he is optimistic the ‘significant wave’ of hospital admissions seen then can be avoided.There have also been concerns about summer music festivals contributing to a spike, after thousands of cases were suspected to be linked to the Boardmasters festival in Cornwall and hundreds to Latitude Festival in Suffolk.
Most of the UK is set to be dry and bright for the duration of the three-day weekend after weeks of wetter than usual weather for August, according to the Met Office.It said the high pressure is likely to dominate through the end of the month and into the start of September, suggesting this weekend’s settled spell could continue into next week.Revellers at the Reading and Leeds Festivals can enjoy bright conditions over the weekend, with highs potentially reaching 70F in Reading on Sunday and 62F in Leeds.However, those camping in Leeds should pack warm layers, with temperatures set to drop to 50F overnight.Met Office spokesman Grahame Madge said: ‘It will be a largely fine and settled weekend; there’s very little – if any – rain in the forecast.’ He added the best conditions will be in Northern Ireland and Scotland on Saturday, but there is likely to be fine, dry and settled weather in most other areas too.
Drivers were urged to avoid embarking on a bank holiday getaway this afternoon as the RAC warned that nearly 17million motorists will be making trips between Friday and Monday.Mr Madge said conditions are expected to cool slightly going into Monday.’But the high pressure will remain in situ until at least the end of next week, so we have got fine and settled weather to come for some considerable period of time,’ he said.
Festival goers put on ponchos as the rain falls on Day 1 of Leeds Festival at Bramham Park By comparison, the weather at Reading Festival is glorious ahead of the August bank holiday weekend Revellers enter the Arena on Friday at Leeds Festival at Bramham Park on August 27, 2021 By comparison, the weather at Reading Festival is glorious ahead of the August bank holiday weekend ‘No one blocked’ Pen Farthing’s evacuation attempt says Ben Wallace Sheffield shopkeeper karate kicks a ‘shoplifter’ in a Poundland Pensioner punched to the ground after challenging a man for racist comments Massive fire in Juno Drive, Leamington Spa in Warwickshire ‘People before pets’: Stephen Kinnock MP agrees with Defence Secretary Busker accosted by angry woman ‘you can’t bloody sing’ Smoke seen billowing from Leamington Spa fire in drone footage James Heappey says moving Afghans to save dogs ‘doesn’t feel right’ Ben Wallace: ‘One of the biggest airlifts of a generation’ Shocking moment Houston man viciously attacked by two pitbulls Police comb woodland in search for missing Claudia Lawrence Smoke billows from fire in Leamington Spa as residents evacuate Festival goers put on ponchos as the rain falls on Day 1 of Leeds Festival 2021 at Bramham Park on August 27, 2021 Brother and sister Max Richards, three, and Mali Richards, five, played on the beach during a day trip with their family from Tidworth Hundreds of holidaygoers flocked to the seaside at Polzeath Beach, Cornwall, to make the most of the warmer weather before the end of the summer holidays Holidaymakers on the beach at the seaside resort of West Bay in Dorset made the most of a warm day despite the overcast spells Tents all lined up in one of the camping areas as Leeds Festival gets underway August bank holiday getaway traffic on the M25 near Dartford in Kent this afternoon ‘No one blocked’ Pen Farthing’s evacuation attempt says Ben Wallace Sheffield shopkeeper karate kicks a ‘shoplifter’ in a Poundland Pensioner punched to the ground after challenging a man for racist comments Massive fire in Juno Drive, Leamington Spa in Warwickshire ‘People before pets’: Stephen Kinnock MP agrees with Defence Secretary Busker accosted by angry woman ‘you can’t bloody sing’ Smoke seen billowing from Leamington Spa fire in drone footage James Heappey says moving Afghans to save dogs ‘doesn’t feel right’ Ben Wallace: ‘One of the biggest airlifts of a generation’ Police comb woodland in search for missing Claudia Lawrence Survivors seen injured after Kabul Airport suicide bombing Smoke billows from fire in Leamington Spa as residents evacuate The Met Office is forecasting temperatures of up to 75F and dry and bright weather over the next four days Always remember the word ‘FORCES’: Fuel – Don’t risk running out of fuel, top up before you set out.More people heading onto the roads in the good weather can lead to traffic jams, especially on routes to the beaches Oil – check it’s at the right level, and get your car booked in at a garage if you’re topping up more than usual Rubber – tyres need to be properly inflated and in good condition to give your car a safe, sure grip on the road.The legal tread depth is 1.6mm, so change them well before they reach this point Coolant – this does a vital job in the warmer weather, in ensuring the engine runs at the right temperature.
If it’s not between the ‘min’ and ‘max’ levels, this could be the sign of a problem so contact a good garage without delay Electrics – if your indicators, hazard lights, headlights, fog lights, reverse lights or brake lights are not functioning properly, you are putting yourself and your family at risk.Plus, you’ll need your lights on during any unexpected downpours Screenwash – helps keep your windscreen clear of dirt and insects ‘It looks as though it is locked in for a while.
Therefore, although temperatures may come down a little bit, there should still be plenty of bright conditions and plenty of weather for people to enjoy over the bank holiday.’ Looking ahead into September, he said there has been a ‘fairly strong signal’ for conditions to be warmer than average, while rainfall levels are expected to be close to average.
Transport analytics firm Inrix said drivers should set off in the morning or after 7pm to miss major traffic jams, adding that there could be a 25 per cent increase in delays on Friday compared with a typical August day.The South West is expected to bear the brunt of the traffic over the weekend, with bottlenecks and delays likely on the M4 going west away from London, the M5 as it reaches Devon and Cornwall and the A303 around the Stonehenge area.Officials are now braced for travel chaos on what could be the busiest period for roads and rail yet this year as the Met Office forecasts temperatures of up to 75F and dry and bright weather over the next four days.It comes as the rail industry said ticket sales to seaside hotspots were already more than double the number sold over last year’s August bank holiday.
On some leisure routes passenger numbers are even expected to surge past pre-pandemic levels, with research by consultancy WPI Economics suggesting rail passengers alone will on average spend £116 each per trip.RAC Breakdown spokesman Rod Dennis said: ‘It’s been an incredibly busy summer on the UK’s roads with vast numbers of people on the move both for staycation holidays and for day trips to the sea and countryside.’Our figures suggest this is a trend that will continue, with bumper-to-bumper bank holiday traffic expected, especially on the most popular holiday routes.’While this weekend will see many people returning from summer holidays in the UK, the fine and settled weather will also be seen as an opportunity by lots of people to jump in their cars for last-minute trips – after all, this is the last bank holiday weekend in England, Wales and Northern Ireland before Christmas.’ Mr Dennis urged motorists to carry out essential checks on their car, such as ensuring tyres are properly inflated and have plenty of tread, and that oil, coolant and screenwash are at the correct levels.The Met Office’s Grahame Madge said: ‘We’ll have high pressure largely in charge.
That leads to generally fine and settled conditions.’ The RAC poll found most people plan to take to the roads today, with up to 4.3million cars setting off on leisure trips.A further 3.3million cars are expected on the road tomorrow, 2.6million on Sunday and 3million on Monday.Up to 3.6million will keep their powder dry to see what the weather does.Inrix analyst Bob Pishue said: ‘Drivers hitting the road for one last getaway before the end of summer should expect long delays on key corridors.’Knowing when and where congestion will build can help drivers avoid the stress of sitting in traffic.
Our advice is to avoid travelling in the afternoon.
Leave early in the day or be prepared for some travel times to double.’ ‘No one blocked’ Pen Farthing’s evacuation attempt says Ben Wallace Sheffield shopkeeper karate kicks a ‘shoplifter’ in a Poundland Pensioner punched to the ground after challenging a man for racist comments Massive fire in Juno Drive, Leamington Spa in Warwickshire ‘People before pets’: Stephen Kinnock MP agrees with Defence Secretary Busker accosted by angry woman ‘you can’t bloody sing’ Smoke seen billowing from Leamington Spa fire in drone footage James Heappey says moving Afghans to save dogs ‘doesn’t feel right’ Ben Wallace: ‘One of the biggest airlifts of a generation’ Police comb woodland in search for missing Claudia Lawrence Survivors seen injured after Kabul Airport suicide bombing Smoke billows from fire in Leamington Spa as residents evacuate These aerial photos show a sea of tents at Reading Festival in Berkshire which, with more than 90,000 people scheduled to attend, will be the biggest since the easing of Covid restrictions on July 19 Festival goers soak up the atmosphere as The Snuts perform on the Main stage West during Reading Festival 2021 Heavy traffic on the M5 around Exeter as tens of thousands of holidaymakers head home from the South West First people enter the arena for the first day of Leeds Festival 2021 First people enter the arena for the first day of Leeds Festival 2021 Festival goers arrive for Day 1 of Leeds Festival 2021 at Bramham Park on August 27, 2021 Revellers enter the Arena on Friday at Leeds Festival.Along with Reading, the two festivals are the largest events that have taken place during the pandemic Revellers enter the Arena on Friday at Leeds Festival and brave the rain and risk of catching Covid Some people enjoyed a spot of reading as they dipped their toes in the sand in West Bay, while others braved the chilly sea Others pulled out some wine glasses and enjoyed a drink or two on the sandy beach at West Bay, Dorset A lady enjoys her newly refurbished beach hut during the fine weather in Folkestone, Kent Willow the dog was taken on a stroll along the seafront in Folkestone, Kent, as the sunshine broke through the clouds Pubs will serve an estimated six million fewer pints this bank holiday than the same period in 2019, an industry body has said.The British Beer & Pub Association (BBPA) said its members expect to lose out on £25million in revenue from pint sales, down 10 per cent on revenue for the same bank holiday in 2019 before Covid arrived.The BBPA is urging the Government to invest in the sector to help it bridge the gap in revenues now the majority of restrictions have been lifted.It says the UK brewing and pub sectors are ‘grossly overtaxed’ and the Government must reform or cut taxes on the sector.Earlier this week, the trade association said pubs will overpay on business rates by £570million a year from March 2022 unless the system is reformed.
The trade association is also calling for a permanent cut in VAT in pubs which extends to the beer sold in them, and a beer duty cut.AA president Edmund King said: ‘Weather is always a big decider on where people spend their bank holiday.However, AA research suggests that local traffic may be heavier this time.’Covid’s disruption to people’s lives is still noticeable in the 10 per cent fewer long-distance trippers this August.The drop in longer trips might be due to the difficulty in booking accommodation away from home due to more families taking their holidays in the UK.’ National Highways, recently rebranded from Highways England, said around 98 per cent of England’s motorways and major A roads will be free of roadworks over the weekend.A total of 988 carriageway miles of roadworks will be completed (833) or suspended (156) ahead of the Bank Holiday weekend.Some roadworks need to be kept in place for safety reason.
Ticket sales for trains to seaside destinations over the bank holiday weekend have surpassed pre-pandemic levels, according to new figures.Industry body the Rail Delivery Group (RDG) said demand is more than double compared with last year August bank holiday, and up 17 per cent on the same weekend in 2019.The organisation commissioned research by consultancy WPI Economics which estimated that passengers travelling to seaside destinations for leisure spend on average £116 per trip.This includes £40 on food and drink, £31 on accommodation, £23 on shopping, £13 on other travel and £10 on entertainment and culture.The RDG said young people are particularly keen to get back on board trains for leisure trips.Some 1.03 million journeys per week are being made using the 16-25 railcard, an increase of 49,000 since the beginning of June.But while demand for leisure travel is recovering, commuting and business trips by rail are still well below pre-coronavirus levels.
Overall, rail industry revenue is just 59 per cent of what it was at this point in 2019.A campaign urging people to return to trains was launched last week, with the slogan ‘Let’s get back on track’.RDG chief executive Jacqueline Starr said: ‘At the end of every train line are livelihoods and businesses that will depend on rail to be the difference they need to recover, so as we look forward to a bumper bank holiday weekend.’No one blocked’ Pen Farthing’s evacuation attempt says Ben Wallace Sheffield shopkeeper karate kicks a ‘shoplifter’ in a Poundland Pensioner punched to the ground after challenging a man for racist comments Massive fire in Juno Drive, Leamington Spa in Warwickshire ‘People before pets’: Stephen Kinnock MP agrees with Defence Secretary Busker accosted by angry woman ‘you can’t bloody sing’ Smoke seen billowing from Leamington Spa fire in drone footage James Heappey says moving Afghans to save dogs ‘doesn’t feel right’ Ben Wallace: ‘One of the biggest airlifts of a generation’ Police comb woodland in search for missing Claudia Lawrence Biden dismisses ‘kill list’ of Afghan allies Smoke billows from fire in Leamington Spa as residents evacuate Thousands of people packed together beside the main stage to watch Declan McKenna perform on Friday evening The festivalgoers stood close together as they enjoyed Declan McKenna’s set on Friday night Getting into the event, some people were even spotted sitting on their friends shoulders with their arms in the air Festival goers arrive for Day 1 of Leeds Festival 2021 at Bramham Park on August 27, 2021 Festival goers arrive for Day 1 of Leeds Festival 2021 at Bramham Park on August 27, 2021 Thousands of people start arriving at Leeds Festival 2021.
Early bird ticket holders started arriving yesterday while normal ticket holders arrived today to a windy Bramham Park, Leeds ‘No one blocked’ Pen Farthing’s evacuation attempt says Ben Wallace Sheffield shopkeeper karate kicks a ‘shoplifter’ in a Poundland Pensioner punched to the ground after challenging a man for racist comments Massive fire in Juno Drive, Leamington Spa in Warwickshire ‘People before pets’: Stephen Kinnock MP agrees with Defence Secretary Busker accosted by angry woman ‘you can’t bloody sing’ Smoke seen billowing from Leamington Spa fire in drone footage James Heappey says moving Afghans to save dogs ‘doesn’t feel right’ Ben Wallace: ‘One of the biggest airlifts of a generation’ Police comb woodland in search for missing Claudia Lawrence Biden dismisses ‘kill list’ of Afghan allies Smoke billows from fire in Leamington Spa as residents evacuate ‘Leisure passengers can feel good that they’re supporting a fair, clean recovery while they’re beating the bank holiday traffic jams.We’re asking customers to sign up for personal alerts about their journey through National Rail on Messenger so that they can make the most of their day off.’ Patricia Yates, deputy chief executive of VisitBritain, said: ‘We are delighted to see people travelling to and enjoying our coastal regions, and it’s fantastic to see so many headed out and about to enjoy the best of the Great British summer for this bank holiday weekend.’With the convenience, ease and sustainability of domestic rail travel, this boost will have a positive impact on our coastal regions, boosting economic growth and spreading the benefits of tourism across Britain.’ The RDG said more than 95 per cent of the rail network will be fully operational over the weekend.Due to Network Rail engineering works, no trains will operate between London St Pancras International and Luton, while an amended timetable will be in place on routes to and from London Euston..
