Drivers planning Christmas getaways are being warned to expect long queues because of record traffic levels.
The AA predicted that Friday December 20 will be the busiest day on the roads during the festive period, with an estimated 23.7 million drivers planning a trip.
That is more than the busiest Christmas getaway day of any year since the AA began recording data in 2010.
The best way to ensure hassle-free journeys is to plan them well
The joint second worst days for traffic jams over the 2024 festive period are expected to be Saturday December 21 and Monday December 23, each with 22.7 million drivers on the road.
So-called amber traffic warnings have been issued by the AA for all three days.
The breakdown rescue company identified several likely congestion hotspots, including:
– The M4/M5 interchange near Bristol– The M25 near Heathrow airport, west London– The M5/M6 interchange near Birmingham– The M60 near the Trafford Centre, Manchester– The M1 near Meadowhall, Sheffield
More than half of journeys over the Christmas period are anticipated to be no more than 50 miles.
The AA said Christmas Day falling on a Wednesday may help spread festive journeys this year, but could also means more days of long delays as many people will embark on a getaway from work on Friday December 20 followed by last-minute shopping trips and visits to friends and family.
Drivers are being advised to pack essentials such as warm clothing, food, water and a fully-charged phone in case their journey takes longer than expected.
Chris Wood, AA Patrol of the Year, said: “The Ghost of Christmas Past shows that each year, avoidable breakdowns snowball into miles of queues on the roads.
“Drivers can maintain the Christmas cheer by performing basic checks on their car before any journey.
“This includes topping up the windscreen wash and anti-freeze, checking your lights and adjusting tyre pressures for a full load if necessary.
“With people driving fewer miles, it means there will be more localised congestion as record numbers head out on the roads this festive period.
“The best way to ensure hassle-free journeys is to plan them well.
“Check the traffic reports before you leave and try to travel when it’s quieter if you can, or consider taking a different route to beat the jams.”
Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day are expected to be the quietest days on the roads.
Although December 25 usually has the fewest breakdowns on any day in a year, the AA said it will still have patrols available nationwide.
It came to the aid of 2,400 members on Christmas Day 2023.
Rail engineering work will lead to more pressure on the roads with several lines closed.
London Liverpool Street station will be closed from Christmas Day until January 2, and no trains will call at London Paddington between Friday December 27 and Sunday December 29.
There will be no direct services between Crewe and Liverpool – and a reduced service between Crewe and Manchester – from Saturday December 28 until Friday January 3.
Services in the Cambridge area will be disrupted between Friday December 27 and Sunday January 5, affecting CrossCountry, Greater Anglia, Great Northern and Thameslink.
Major engineering work will take place across the Thameslink network during the festive period, closing various lines.
There will be no trains running between Harpenden and London from Saturday December 21 to Sunday December 29.
Meanwhile, rail minister Lord Hendy has expressed concern that Christmas train services could be disrupted by staffing shortages.
Many train drivers and other crew members do not have Sunday working included in their contracts, with numerous operators often relying on them volunteering to work extra paid shifts to run timetabled services on that day.
Giving evidence to the Commons’ Transport Select Committee on Wednesday, Lord Hendy said the Government is concerned about “staffing of Christmas services”.
Alex Hynes, director general for the Department for Transport’s rail services group, added: “Generally as a system, we’re over-reliant on overtime working for train crew.
“That’s a risk, which may be worse at Christmas time than other times.”
