UK motorists face unprecedented gridlock this festive season, according to the latest amber traffic warning from the AA. The roads are set to be more congested than ever before on Friday, December 20, with a record-breaking 23.7 million drivers projected to be out and about in the biggest Christmas rush witnessed since the AA started keeping tabs in 2010.
With another 22.7 million journeys expected on both Saturday, December 21, and Monday, December 23, experts are advising travellers to steer clear of certain highways to avoid the logjams.
In light of Christmas Day landing on a Wednesday, it’s anticipated that festive travel may be more evenly spread throughout the week, though it also risks prolonging periods of heavy traffic.
The AA warns of potential sustained delays as people combine their escapes from work on Friday with last-ditch shopping sprees and social visits.
Chris Wood, crowned AA Patrol of the Year, cautions: “The Ghost of Christmas Past shows that each year, avoidable breakdowns snowball into miles of queues on the roads.”
Motorists are being urged to come prepared with essentials like warm apparel, sustenance, drinks, and a charged mobile phone to ensure they’re covered for any extended travel times.
Motorists can ensure their Christmas travels are jolly by performing essential car checks before hitting the road.
This includes replenishing the windscreen wash and anti-freeze, testing your lights, and adjusting tyre pressures to accommodate a full vehicle load, reports the Mirror.
“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.”
Amidst a drop in overall mileage due to local travel, the roads will still see heightened congestion as people head out in record numbers during the festive season.
Planning is key to avoid travel snags: “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 will likely be the calmest days for drivers looking to circumvent traffic.
The AA assures that despite December 25 traditionally witnessing minimal breakdowns, its patrols will remain on standby nationwide. The organisation helped over 2,400 members on Christmas Day 2023.
With rail engineering works set to congest the roads—with London Liverpool Street and London Paddington facing disruptions—travellers are advised to plan ahead.
Services affecting various regions, including routes from Crewe to Liverpool and Manchester, as well as the Cambridge area will face interruptions going into the New Year.
Passenger turmoil looms as major engineering work is scheduled across the Thameslink network over Christmas, shutting down key routes.
No services will operate between Harpenden and London from Saturday December 21 to Sunday December 29, disrupting festive travel plans.
In tandem, fears rise over possible disruptions to Christmas rail services due to staff shortages. Many train drivers and crew aren’t contractually obligated to work on Sundays, with operators habitually depending on voluntary overtime shifts for scheduled services.
During a Commons’ Transport Select Committee hearing this Wednesday, Rail Minister Lord Hendy voiced his apprehensions about “staffing of Christmas services”.
Alex Hynes, chief of the Department for Transport’s rail services group, weighed in, warning, “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.”