A major traffic warning has been issued for millions of motorists using England's busiest motorway networks, as the great Christmas getaway gets into full swing this week.
Motorway Hotspots Set for Severe Delays
Experts are predicting significant congestion and travel chaos on some of the nation's most popular routes. Specific hotspots highlighted for particular delays include the M8 between Edinburgh and Glasgow and the M60 near the Trafford Centre in Greater Manchester.
Further south, drivers should brace for hold-ups at several key interchanges and stretches:
- The M5/M6 interchange near Birmingham.
- The M25 near Heathrow Airport in west London.
- The M25 near Bluewater in Kent.
- The M4/M5 interchange near Bristol.
Staggering Volume of Festive Journeys Forecast
The AA has issued a stark forecast for journey numbers in the run-up to Christmas. They predict a massive 24 million cars will be on the road on Friday, December 19th. The high volume is expected to continue over the weekend and into Christmas Eve.
The daily breakdown from the AA is as follows:
- Saturday 20th December: 23 million journeys.
- Sunday 21st December: 22 million journeys.
- Monday 22nd December: 24 million journeys.
- Tuesday 23rd December: 24 million journeys.
- Christmas Eve, Wednesday 24th December: 22 million journeys.
Expert Advice for Beating the Queues
Traffic analysts are urging drivers to prepare for challenging conditions. Andy Marchant, a traffic expert at TomTom, stated: "This year's super Saturday is set to spark a surge in traffic across the UK, as last-minute shoppers and festive travellers hit the roads." He referenced last year's data, which showed congestion in Edinburgh peaking at 76% around midday and severe evening rush hours in London.
Shaun Jones, an AA patrol expert, offered clear guidance: "With more than 24 million cars forecast on the roads on Friday 19 December, it’s beginning to look a lot like traffic. Our advice is simple: plan ahead, check your route, and allow extra time. The AA Routeplanner will help you avoid the queues."
Supporting the scale of local festive travel, TomTom's research found that two in three motorists reported their Christmas journey would be up to 50 miles. Only five per cent planned to drive between 51 and 100 miles, and a mere two per cent intended to travel over 100 miles.
