Christmas Eve travel news and weather: Latest updates as flooding disrupts festive plans

Particular measures will apply to folks arriving in New York from the UK, along with necessary  self-isolation for 2 weeks upon arrival.

Town’s mayor Invoice de Blasio introduced a 14-day quarantine for travellers from the UK in response to the brand new variant of coronavirus that emerged within the UK.

Anybody who breaches the principles shall be fined $1,000 (£750) for every day’s breach, stories our Journey Correspondent Simon Calder. Learn his full report: 

NATS, the UK-Based mostly air visitors management firm, has issued an “pressing message” for UK airspace customers, warning them to be on “alert” for Santa’s sleigh this night, which shall be finishing up a gift drop operation.

In an entertaining “warning”, the corporate stated there shall be a sleigh with the callsign “SANTA01”, powered by eight reindeer and a ninth “fitted with non-compulsory air navigation beacon” and travelling at “hypersonic pace” by way of the UK’s airspace.

“Crews are to be particularly alert when transmitting areas with excessive concentrations of well-behaved kids, confer with up to date N.I.C.E. checklist (2020 revised version,” stated the corporate.

The sleigh is predicted to carry out “excessive vitality manoeuvres and won’t adjust to regular guidelines of the air”.

“Social distancing from different airspace customers to be maintained always. Kids to provide cookies and/or mince pies with milk and/or sherry to allow pilot refuelling.

“Kids to be asleep to make sure profitable current drop,” added the message.

Highways England are nonetheless attempting to clear flooding on the A14 in Woolley, West Yorkshire, however added it “will take a while”.

Listed here are among the scenes from Dover, as Covid testing of lorry drivers continues to clear the backlog and permit hauliers to return to the EU.

Emergency providers throughout England and Wales have been inundated with calls in a single day because the deluge of rain brought about flooding in some areas.

Greater than 90 flood warnings have been issued for England on Thursday morning, with at the very least 16 warnings in relation to the River Severn on the Welsh border.

My colleague Chantal da Silva stories on the small print:

The highway policing unit for Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire has stated the A14 East and West continues to be closed between Thrapson and Ellington on account of flooding.

The power additionally stated that many roads in Cambridgeshire are “utterly not satisfactory”, and urged folks to remain at residence.

Grant Shapps has additionally promised that ferries will sail on Christmas Day and Boxing Day, as he praised French firemen for his or her “nice cooperation” in serving to to check the hundreds of drivers who’ve been stranded on the Port of Dover this week.

He stated: “In addition to making certain ferries will now sail on Christmas and Boxing Day, we have additionally bought nice cooperation by French firemen working with NHS Check and Hint and our good navy in an enormous effort to clear the backlog created by the French border closure.”

The transport secretary, Grant Shapps, has introduced that France has agreed with the UK to maintain the border at Eurotunnel, Dover and Calais open to permit hauliers and EU residents return residence.

1000’s of lorry drivers and EU residents discovered themselves stranded within the UK earlier this week, and are nonetheless ready to be examined for coronavirus to allow them to cross the Channel.

Solely these with a unfavourable Covid take a look at shall be allowed to cross the border.

In accordance with Nationwide Rail, all trains working between Exeter St Davids and Barnstaple shall be cancelled on account of heavy flooding this morning.

The A40 at Over is closed to each in and out-bound visitors as extreme flooding continues to hit Gloucestershire.

Gloucestershire Police tweeted: “There are diversions in place however we expect them to be very busy with visitors. Please keep away from the realm and plan your route accordingly.”