As Christmas falls mid-week this year, the figures suggest there will be an extended period of ‘pre-Christmas panic’ on the roads, with 5.7m trips being taken this Wednesday and Thursday alone.
The true festive getaway kicks off on Friday 20th December with an expected 3m trips and then jumps to 3.7m on what the RAC is dubbing ‘Snarl-up Saturday’ 21st December: the final Saturday before the big day.
Sunday 22nd is set to see 2.9m journeys, but the RAC’s research also reveals a further 4.7m trips are expected at some point between the 20th and 22nd, from motorists who are undecided on which day they’ll travel.
However, the busiest single day for getaways is predicted to be Christmas Eve, with 3.8m separate getaway journeys expected by car in addition to the final flurries of commuter traffic – nearly 800,000 more than the day before (23rd December – 3m).
To make matters even worse, there are a further 2.5m motorists who intend to travel at some point on either the 23rd or 24th December.
Data provided by transport analytics specialists INRIX indicates lengthy jams are expected this coming weekend. On Friday, queues of more than 45 minutes are likely in the evening on the M3 in Surrey and Hampshire between the M25 in west London and the south coast, and on the M25 anticlockwise from the junction with the M1 near Watford to the M23 for Gatwick Airport as drivers leave the capital for the south coast or jet off for some winter sun.
Further north, the M53 northbound from Chester to Liverpool will be worst affected by delays during home-time traffic this Friday, when drivers going home from work share the roads with those starting their getaway trips.
On both ‘Frantic Friday’ and ‘Snarl-up Saturday’, the worst time to travel along major routes will be between 1pm and 7pm, with both the RAC and INRIX suggesting drivers set off early in the morning, or later in the evening when the heaviest of the traffic should have subsided.
After the big day, there are an additional 4.4m trips on Boxing Day and 3.8m trips on Friday 27 December, as many people continue the festivities or head home. Drivers should try to avoid major roads during the hours of 10am to 3pm, which is when journeys are expected to take significantly longer than usual. With railway engineering work taking place at Liverpool Street, Paddington and St Pancras over Christmas and New Year, major roads to and from London are likely to be impacted. Major signalling work in Crewe and Cambridge will also affect services across the North West and East of England, meaning roads in these areas could also be much busier than usual.
The RAC also asked drivers why they favour using the car to make festive journeys over using other forms of transport.*** More than half (53%) of those that responded said they felt their car offered more flexibility and convenience about when and where they could travel. Thirty-five per cent said their journey would take too long via public transport while a third (34%) said public transport wasn’t a practical option because they were travelling with several people or had lots of luggage.
Three-in-10 (31%) believe driving is cheaper than public transport, while one-in-10 (12%) are concerned about bad weather delaying or cancelling their journey if they opted for public transport.
RAC Breakdown spokesperson Alice Simpson said: “Our research suggests that with Christmas falling on a Wednesday this year, many drivers will be squeezing in their getaway trips right up until the big day itself. While the getaway starts to ramp up from Friday, ‘Snarl-up Saturday’ looks particularly challenging as does Christmas Eve. Travelling outside peak hours might be the only way drivers miss the worst of the jams. Planned rail strikes are also likely to add to the misery.
“There’s also no sign of traffic letting up throughout the Christmas period especially as there are major rail engineering works taking place on routes into London and Cheshire. It’s well worth drivers being aware of these and the knock-on effect they’ll have on the roads as the affected lines serve larger areas across the South West, South East and North West.
“While journeys by road are likely to take longer due to the sheer weight of traffic, a vehicle breakdown has the potential to make matters worse and spoil the Christmas spirit. We’d encourage anyone driving home or away for the holidays to make sure their tyres are in good condition and are properly inflated, along with their oil, coolant and screenwash all being at the correct levels. Anyone who has any doubts about their vehicle should book an appointment with an RAC Mobile Mechanic as soon as possible to get it checked at home or work.”
Doug Bannister, chief executive at the Port of Dover, said: “We continue to advise those sailing with one of our ferry partners that they do not arrive any earlier than the two hours before their crossing – just as if they were planning on flying from a UK airport.
“Operation Brock will also be in place on the M20 between Ashford and Maidstone from the 15th to 22nd December, keeping the roads into Dover moving.”
Andrew Butterfield, National Highways Customer Service Director, said: "With more people expected to travel during the festive period and recent storms causing widespread disruption, it’s crucial for drivers to plan ahead and exercise extra caution on the roads.
“To help make journeys smoother, we’re removing roadworks on 95% of the roads we manage and to reduce the risk of breakdowns, we are also urging motorists to check their vehicles using the handy acronym TRIP - especially tyres, coolant, and oil levels before setting off."
Bob Pishue, Transportation Analyst at INRIX, said: “With so many people expected to hit the road this holiday season, drivers should expect delays in and around major cities. Planning ahead is key to avoiding the country's worst traffic jams, either by using navigation apps or the route planner in the myRAC app to find the best times to travel.”
Drivers can book an RAC Mobile Mechanic online for vehicle servicing or repairs before Christmas.
Complete peace of mind for less
• Cheaper than AA Price Guarantee^
• We get to most breakdowns in 60 mins or less
• Our patrols fix 4/5 breakdowns on the spot
* Research conducted for the RAC among 2,100 UK adults w/c 2 December 2024. A nationally representative survey. Figures extrapolated to 33m licensed cars
** National Rail: Christmas and New Year 2024/25 Travel Summary
*** Research conducted for the RAC among 1,074 UK adults w/c 2 December 2024. A nationally representative survey. Figures extrapolated to 33m licensed cars
**** The acronym TRIP is an easy way for drivers to remember the four simple steps to take to prepare ahead of using motorways and major A roads this winter:
Top-up: Fuel, oil, and screen wash
Rest: Plan regular stops every two hours to avoid driver fatigue
Inspect: Check tyre pressure and tread
Prepare: Have a plan for severe weather conditions
