Millions of travellers across the UK are facing heavy traffic and rail disruption as the Christmas getaway begins. The RAC estimates that 2.2 million journeys will be made today, with a further 1.9 million expected on Sunday as people rush to reach loved ones before Christmas Eve.
Motorists have been advised to avoid peak times, with the worst congestion expected between now and 6pm on Saturday, and between 4pm and 6.30pm on Sunday. The RAC suggests travelling before 11am or after 8pm on Sunday to minimise delays. Major routes including the M25, M6 and M40 are expected to be particularly busy, with the southbound M40 from the M42 to Junction 8A facing delays of up to one hour and 50 minutes.
Rail passengers are also facing disruption due to strikes and engineering works. South Western Railway is running a reduced service due to RMT strikes over guards on trains, while Northern Rail will operate a reduced service after 5pm on Saturday and has planned cancellations for Sunday. Network Rail is carrying out 330 engineering projects across Britain between Sunday and January 1, affecting major stations such as London Paddington and Victoria.
The travel chaos has been compounded by ongoing drone incidents at Gatwick Airport, which caused further runway closures on Friday night. Meanwhile, Abta expects over 4.7 million people to head abroad from the UK between December 18 and January 2, with today being the busiest travel day for international departures.
The RAC and AA have urged drivers to carry out basic vehicle checks and plan their journeys carefully to avoid breakdowns, which can bring roads to a standstill. Mark Souster of the RAC said: 'A single breakdown can bring some roads to a grinding halt, slowing down the Christmas getaway for all of us.'
