EASTER GETAWAY CHAOS: Tight security to trigger delays following Brussels attacks

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There has been an increased police presence at ports, airports and train stations in the UK as well as enhanced border checks since Tuesday's suicide bombings. A Downing Street spokesman said: "Travellers over the Easter weekend may experience delays to their journey and should check the advice of travel companies." Travel organisation Abta estimates that two million Britons will go abroad over the four-day weekend. It urged travellers to allow "adequate time" for extra security checks. Eurostar passengers have been told to allow an hour for check in due to "enhanced security checks". The cross-Channel operator expects 22,000 people to use its trains to travel out of the UK on Good Friday. London airports will be busy with 425,000 passengers set to depart from Heathrow, 290,000 from Gatwick, 157,000 from Stansted and 81,000 from Luton. Manchester is expected to handle 200,000 departing passengers, with 59,000 jetting off from Birmingham and 36,000 from East Midlands Airport. Meanwhile an estimated six million Britons are planning a trip with an overnight stay within the UK this Easter, according to a study by VisitEngland. The tourist board commissioned a poll which found that 12 per cent of adults will definitely go away during the long weekend, generating £1.5billion for the UK economy. The roads were expected to be at their busiest yesterday when 55 per cent of drivers were planning to travel, according to an AA poll of more than 24,000 drivers. The most congested stretches of road were expected to include the M5 south from Gloucestershire towards Exeter in Devon, the M6 north from the West Midlands towards Lancashire and all sections of the M25. The RAC said it was "inevitable" that roads will be congested and warned drivers to expect "heavy traffic and jams on major routes". Rail passengers have been advised to check for alterations to their journey because a number of lines will be suspended as Network Rail carries out more than 450 sets of engineering works. There will be no Southern or Gatwick Express services from London Victoria due to major work in Battersea, south London. Fast services to the airport will be available from London Bridge. The West Coast Main Line will be closed near Stafford, meaning many services will be diverted via Stoke with increased journey times.