The AA Predicts Busiest Days on UK Roads this Festive Season

The AA has predicted that Friday December 22 and Saturday December 23 will be the busiest days on the UK’s roads during the festive period. While Christmas Eve is traditionally the main day for getaway journeys, this year many people are taking advantage of the weekend immediately preceding Christmas Day to make trips to friends and family. The AA estimates that 16.1 million car journeys will take place on December 22 and 16.4 million on December 23. As a result, the AA has issued an “amber traffic warning” for those days, warning of potential lengthy traffic jams.

Potential Traffic Hotspots

According to the AA, motorway stretches such as the M25, the M5 between Bristol and Weston-Super-Mare, and the M6 around Birmingham are expected to experience bumper-to-bumper conditions. Other potential hotspots include stretches of the M1 from Luton northwards, the M62 and M60 in the North West, and the M4 which connects London with South Wales.

Tips for Drivers

AA president Edmund King has urged drivers to be prepared for the busy roads. He recommends packing essentials such as water, high-protein food or chocolate, warm clothes, and a hi-vis jacket in case of a breakdown or getting stranded. Mr King also advises drivers to carry out vehicle checks before setting off, including checking tyres, fuel, oil, coolant, and screenwash. Additionally, he reminds drivers to drive to the conditions and slow down where necessary due to the unsettled weather forecast.

Quietest Day on the Roads

The AA predicts that New Year’s Day will be the quietest day on the roads. However, drivers are reminded that they can still be breathalysed and lose their license for driving over the limit the morning after celebrating the previous evening.

Disruption to Rail Services

Over the festive period, rail services will also be disrupted due to engineering work carried out by Network Rail. London Paddington will be closed between Christmas Eve and Wednesday December 27, impacting mainline trains serving Heathrow Airport. Long-distance services will start and end at Reading, with connecting trains to and from Ealing Broadway or London Waterloo. London King’s Cross will be closed on Christmas Eve. Southeastern services that usually operate to or from London Victoria will be diverted to Blackfriars, Charing Cross, and Cannon Street between December 23 and New Year’s Day. Outside of London, an engineering project near Southampton and construction work for the new Cambridge South station will cause some disruption to services. No trains will operate on Christmas Day, with a very limited service running on Boxing Day.

Passenger Advice

Lawrence Bowman, network strategy director for Network Rail, acknowledges the importance of this time of year for passengers to reconnect with family and friends. He assures passengers that more than 96% of the network will be open for business as usual. He advises passengers to check their journeys before travelling, as some routes will experience disruption due to railway upgrades.

Busy Airports

Airports are also expected to be busy during the festive season, with many people heading overseas for holidays or arriving in the UK to spend Christmas with loved ones. Heathrow Airport predicts that 6.5 million passengers will travel through its terminals this month, with tens of thousands departing on Christmas Day.

The AA’s traffic estimates are based on a survey conducted by research company Yonder between November 13 and 21. The survey included responses from over 12,000 AA members who were asked about their travel plans.