Motoring organisations have warned of exceptionally heavy traffic as commuters, shoppers and early holidaymakers converge on the roads. While the largest number of leisure getaways is expected on Saturday and Christmas Eve, the overlap of weekday travel and festive departures is forecast to make Friday the most challenging day for drivers.
The AA estimates that 24.4 million vehicles will be on the roads on Friday alone, with nearly three-quarters of its members planning to drive for work or leisure. Motorists have been urged to plan routes carefully and allow extra time for journeys.
Shaun Jones, an AA mechanic and spokesperson, said: “It’s beginning to look a lot like traffic.”
The RAC also warned of record-breaking congestion, predicting more than four million leisure journeys by car on both Saturday and Christmas Eve. It said this would mark the busiest Christmas getaway period since it began collecting data.
Major congestion hotspots are expected on the M25 clockwise to the west of London, the M6 northbound near Birmingham, the M1 northbound past Leicester, and much of the M60 clockwise around Greater Manchester.
The travel squeeze will extend beyond the roads. UK airports are also preparing for a surge in passengers, with Friday expected to be the busiest day of the Christmas period. The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) said this festive season is on track to become the busiest on record for air travel.
Rail passengers, meanwhile, face disruption from a series of planned engineering works over the holiday period. Travellers have been advised to check routes in advance, with some services replaced by buses and others subject to lengthy diversions.
Sections of the West Coast main line will be affected, significantly disrupting intercity services between London, Birmingham, Manchester, Liverpool and Scotland. Rail replacement buses will operate between Milton Keynes and Rugby, while some long-distance passengers may need to divert via Sheffield on the Midland main line.
Services to and from London Euston will be disrupted between 27 December and 4 January, with further disruption to routes between Scotland and north-west England from 1 to 14 January.
Additional closures will follow immediately after Christmas, including a complete shutdown between Leeds and York until 2 January, and between Cambridge and Stansted Airport until 5 January.
With pressure mounting across roads, rail and runways, travellers are being urged to allow extra time, check travel updates regularly and prepare for delays as the Christmas getaway reaches its peak.
