Travel Update – 17 October 2026
Posted by EZ Taxis Bexhill Airport & Seaport Transfers
Published: 17 October 2026, 08:40 BST
Last checked: 17 October 2026, 08:40 BST
Today’s update for Bexhill, St Leonards-on-Sea, Hastings, Ore, Battle and Eastbourne highlights weekend rail changes, overnight motorway closures and a significant change to Saudi Arabia travel advice.
Rail: Gatwick Express and Southern changes this weekend
Engineering work at London Victoria affects services on 17–18 October. Today, Gatwick Express runs to an amended timetable with slightly longer journeys. Southern services between Victoria and Eastbourne/Ore are diverted to London Bridge. No Gatwick Express services run on Sunday 18 October, and Southern has no services to or from Victoria that day. Check the revised timetable: this does not mean all trains serving Gatwick are cancelled. National Rail notice and ticket acceptance.
Roads: closures start tonight near Portsmouth and Heathrow
The A27 westbound from Emsworth (Warblington) to Langstone is scheduled to close from 9pm today, Saturday 17 October, until 6am Monday 19 October. Allow for signed diversions on journeys towards Portsmouth or Southampton. Langstone works schedule.
At M25 junction 15 near Heathrow, the anticlockwise carriageway between the M4 slip roads is scheduled to close from 8pm tonight until 10am Sunday 18 October. Clockwise traffic and all M25/M4 links remain open. Anticlockwise through traffic is diverted via M4 junction 5. National Highways warns of Sunday-morning congestion; check your terminal-specific route rather than assuming every Heathrow approach is closed. Official M25 notice.
Flights: Saudi travel warning widened
FCDO changed its advice on 16 October to advise against all but essential travel to the rest of Saudi Arabia, while continuing to advise against all travel within 10km of the Yemen border. This replaces the earlier, geographically narrower advice, so passengers should not rely on the Medina airport exception mentioned in previous updates. Confirm plans with your airline or tour operator and check insurance implications before travel. A government warning does not establish the cancellation status of each flight. Current official advice.
Emirates’ notice dated 5 October continues to list its codeshare operations with flydubai to/from Tel Aviv as suspended until further notice. Check any onward connection directly; this is not a blanket cancellation of UK–Dubai flights. Airline travel notices.
Ports: check amended ferry departure details
Brittany Ferries’ published notice confirms early closure of direct Poole–Cherbourg services, with Barfleur redeployed from 12 October. Affected customers are offered refunds or alternatives from Portsmouth. Check the revised port and check-in time before arranging your transfer. Operator announcement.
This is a dated snapshot, not a live feed or exhaustive cancellation list. Planned works can change. Check your airline, train or ferry operator and current road conditions before setting off.