The AA has issued an Amber Traffic Warning for UK motorists as Friday, December 19, is forecast to be the busiest Christmas getaway day on record. An estimated 24.4 million cars are expected on British roads that day, with 72% of surveyed drivers planning to travel.
The warning is based on a recent AA survey of over 10,000 members conducted between November 10 and 19. The RAC predicts a total of 37.5 million leisure trips between Wednesday before Christmas and Christmas Eve, making it the busiest festive period since their records began in 2013.
Shaun Jones, AA patrol expert, told Birminghammail: "With more than 24 million cars forecast on the roads on Friday December 19, it's beginning to look a lot like traffic."
Christmas Eve will see approximately 22.7 million cars on the roads, with 4.2 million journeys expected – potentially the highest volumes since Covid. The worst hold-ups are predicted between 11am and 7pm on Saturday and Christmas Eve.
Nick Mullender, RAC mobile servicing and repairs team leader, told WalesOnline: "With record numbers predicted to be taking to the roads this Christmas, journeys have the potential to be Grinch-worthy without some careful planning. The week before Christmas is one of the few times of year when most of the UK hits the road simultaneously, with 2025 looking to be the busiest getaway period since our records began."
Major Congestion Hotspots
Key problem areas include the M6 between Junctions 4 and 11 in the West Midlands, the M5/M6 interchange near Birmingham, and the M42 between the M40 and M6 junctions.
The M25 will face severe delays between the M4 at Heathrow and the M1, and near Bluewater in Kent.
National Highways will close the M27 motorway in both directions between Junctions 9 and 11 from 8pm on Christmas Eve until 4am on January 4 for major works affecting journeys between Southampton and Portsmouth.
National Highways told WalesOnline: "remove as many roadworks as we safely can so everyone can get where they need to go this Christmas".
Rail Network Disruptions
Widespread engineering work will cause significant rail disruptions, particularly after Christmas Day. The West Coast Main Line will be closed between Milton Keynes and Rugby until January 5, and between Preston and Carlisle from New Year's Eve to January 15.
London Waterloo station will be closed from the end of Christmas Eve services through December 28, with a reduced timetable continuing until January 4. The Leeds-York line will be closed from Christmas Day to January 2.
The entire UK rail network shuts down on Christmas Day, with very few trains running on Boxing Day. The busiest pre-Christmas rail days are Saturday, December 20, and Monday, December 22.
Airports and Ferries
UK airports are expecting their busiest Christmas in history, with passenger numbers forecast to exceed 22 million, surpassing last year's record. Heathrow alone anticipates more than seven million passengers this month.
The Port of Dover expects nearly 30,000 cars for outbound sailings during the festive period. Chief executive Doug Bannister told The Independent: "The weekend before Christmas is expected to be particularly busy, with peak traffic anticipated between 6am and 1pm from Friday 19 to Sunday 21 December. [...] we kindly ask all customers travelling with our ferry partners not to arrive any earlier than two hours before their scheduled sailing, just as you would if departing from a UK airport and greatly appreciate everyone's patience should there be any additional waiting time due to the high volumes of traffic."
Travel Advice
Jones told Birminghammail: "Our advice is simple: plan ahead, check your route, and allow extra time. The AA Routeplanner will help you avoid the queues." He added: "We know drivers will be heading out for all sorts of festive fun — from pantomimes and Christmas markets to family visits and scenic walks. But with so many sleighs on the tarmac, patience will be your best present this year."
The AA recommends avoiding peak travel times between 10am and 4pm, packing essentials, keeping fuel or EV charge topped up, and starting parked cars periodically over the festive period to ensure they're ready for January.
Despite Christmas Day typically being the quietest day for car breakdowns, around 2,400 AA patrols will be working across the country to assist members. Most drivers surveyed indicated they would stay local, travelling less than 50 miles for the second consecutive year.
Note: This article was created with Artificial Intelligence (AI).
