Traffic is set to peak earlier than usual this festive season due to Christmas Day falling on a Monday. The AA forecasts that Friday, December 22, and Saturday, December 23, will see the highest traffic volumes in the UK, with 16.1 million and 16.4 million car journeys expected respectively.
Traditionally, Christmas Eve is the busiest day for holiday travel, but this year, many people are using the weekend before Christmas to visit family and friends.
The AA has issued an “amber traffic warning” for these days, anticipating significant congestion, particularly on the M25, M5 between Bristol and Weston-super-Mare, and M6 around Birmingham. Additional potential bottlenecks include stretches of the M1, M62, M60, and M4.
Edmund King, AA President, advises drivers to carry essentials like water, high-protein snacks, warm clothing, and a hi-vis jacket in case of delays.
Rail disruptions include closures at London Paddington and King’s Cross during holidays.He also recommends vehicle checks on tires, fuel, oil, coolant, and screenwash before starting a journey. King also cautioned that unsettled weather could exacerbate delays and urged drivers to adjust their speed accordingly.
New Year’s Day is expected to be the quietest day on the roads, which might be a relief after a potentially festive night out. Drivers should be mindful that they can still be breathalyzed and face penalties for driving under the influence the following morning.
Rail services will face disruptions due to Network Rail’s engineering work. London Paddington will be closed from Christmas Eve until December 27, affecting services to Heathrow Airport, while long-distance trains will start and end at Reading.
London King’s Cross will also be closed on Christmas Eve, and Southeastern services to London Victoria will be diverted. Additionally, a project near Southampton and work on the new Cambridge South station will cause further disruptions.
On Christmas Day, no trains will operate, and only limited services will run on Boxing Day. Lawrence Bowman from Network Rail emphasizes that despite ongoing upgrades and £127 million in investments, efforts have been made to minimize disruption. Passengers are advised to check their travel plans ahead of time.
Airports will be busy with Heathrow expecting around 6.5 million passengers throughout December, including many on Christmas Day.