MOTOR MAYHEM
M6 traffic: ‘Hundreds’ of drivers abandon cars to play football on motorway as crash brings Easter traffic to a halt
Photos show people out of their vehicles and enjoying the sun
HUNDREDS of drivers abandoned their vehicles on a major motorway after a crash brought Easter traffic to a grinding halt - with some playing football to pass the time.
Photos show motorists standing on grass verges and sitting on the central reservation barrier as they watched the kickabout amid lengthy delays on the M6 in Lancashire.
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It comes as motorists endured travel chaos over the Easter Bank Holiday weekend.
The M6 southbound is shut between junction 34 for Lancaster and junction 33 for Galgate.
Traffic has been held on the northbound carriageway to allow the North West Air Ambulance to land.
Diversions are in place southbound.
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Footage shows people stepping out of their motors to walk on the empty carriageway to enjoy a kickabout in the sunny weather.
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Sharing a photo of people scattered across the road, one X user said: "Traffic closed on both sides for the past hour! Hundreds of people on the road! Wildest I have seen the motorway be!"
They added: "Really hope everyone is okay."
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Another person said: "M6 closed just north of Lancaster University, between junction 33 and 34.
"Reports of accident, motorway appears to be closed both directions at present.
EXCL Get out NOW before Easter getaway carnage gets WORSE, Brits warned as traffic jams, cancelled trains & flight chaos hit
"Multiple emergency vehicle sirens attending crash, too. Hope everyone turns out to be OK."
Travellers had to battle through strike-hit airports and horrendous traffic queues on Friday, with roads forecast to be at their busiest for an Easter weekend since 2022.
Drivers were warned to set off early on their travels and to plan in advance amid congestion on the roads.
Traffic was set to be at its highest level in three years for the holiday period, with a whopping 19 million travellers expected to make journeys, according to the RAC.
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Lunchtime on Good Friday was expected to have the lengthiest hold-ups.
Popular routes are likely to continue experiencing tailbacks across the weekend, including the A303 westbound to Stonehenge and the M5 southbound J15 at the RAC tower north of Bristol.
Journey times are likely to be nearly an hour longer for both meaning some could be stuck in their vehicles for more than half as long as usual.
Gatwick Airport in London, Britain's second busiest airport, was facing strike action from airport staff, which could lead to around 50 flights being disrupted each day.
Over 100 Red Handling staff members are striking over unpaid pensions, late payments and “illegal” shift patterns.
The strike, organised by union Unite will affect baggage handlers, check-in agents and flight dispatchers working with airlines such as Norwegian, Delta, TAP and Air Peace.
Industrial action will take place until the early hours of Tuesday (April 22).
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Hundreds of holidaymakers hoping to jet off from the UK's largest airport are likely to be affected.
Train travellers are also expected to face major disruption this weekend, as more than 300 projects are underway across the railway network.
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