Bristol drivers have been issued a traffic warning on the roads ahead of the busy Christmas period this week. The AA is predicting 17 million people will hit the roads across two days in the UK for this year's Christmas getaway.
An amber warning has been allocated for this Friday (December 23) and Christmas Eve, with congestion forecast to build between 10am and 6pm on Friday and between 10am and 4pm on Saturday. The M25, M4, M3, M6, M62, A69 and M1 are all set for queues.
Rail strikes set between December 23 lasting until December 27 at 6am mean there will be a higher number of cars hitting the road this Christmas, with major routes linked to the M25 being the worst affected. AA has said the M4/M5 interchange at Bristol is likely to experience heavy congestion throughout the period stretching down to the M5 at Exeter.
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Jack Cousens, head of roads policy for the AA, said: “As people start driving home for Christmas, we are advising those heading out in their cars to be prepared for some congestion, especially on popular routes heading out of London. The rail strikes have convinced more people to travel by car this year, and while hundreds of miles of roadworks have been removed to ease the pain, it might not be enough to keep the queues away.
“During the recent snow and icy weather, we attended numerous breakdowns which could have been avoided completely had their car been checked before leaving. While tyres and oil levels are common items to tick off the list, ensuring screen wash isn’t frozen and wiper blades are in good condition are just as vital, especially with more grit and dirt being kicked up off the road."
The cold weather caused travel chaos last week as the mercury plunged to below zero in Bristol and other parts of the country. The wintry conditions and icy roads caused multiple incidents on the M5 and also increased the risk of breakdown.
Mr Cousens said if everyone spent 10 minutes checking their car before leaving it could save drivers hours on their journey. He also stressed the importance of preparing for the cold weather in the event of a breakdown.
“Carrying warm clothing, water and snacks as well as entertainment for younger travellers in a must. Downloading the AA App**** will keep you up to date with the latest traffic news and can be used to report a breakdown should the worst happen. Having the what3words app downloaded also helps drivers to pinpoint their exact location if they breakdown in difficult to find or remote areas.”
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