AA issues Christmas traffic amber warning over travel spike and M5 weather fears

Motorists heading home for Christmas will face an amber traffic[1] warning as millions hit the roads to visit friends and family. The busiest day is set to be Saturday, December 23 as 16.4 million trips are planned. The day before is only slightly better with 16.1m trips planned on Friday, December 22.

The amber warning for December 22 and 23 has been issued by the AA which has also said unsettled weather[2] is expected over the holiday season. Drivers have been urged to drive according to the conditions. There also be a traffic spike this Friday (December 15) with some schools breaking up for the holidays, which could see families head out on pre-Christmas treats.

Heavy traffic is predicted around shopping malls and retail parks where drivers can expect to see a spike in traffic between 4pm and 7pm.

Unsettled weather is likely to add to journey times on some stretches of the motorway network including the M5 between Bristol and Weston-Super-Mare, the M6 around Birmingham and the M25 around London. In addition, stretches of the M1 'smart' motorway from Luton northwards can often suffer congestion from incidents or breakdowns, as can the M62 and M60 in the North West.

Both the M4 and the A34 are also set to suffer from significant delays. With rail strikes from some unions continuing, travellers are advised to check with their train operators5 for any unexpected delays or cancellations.

Edmund King, AA president, said: "Our five-star patrols will be supporting our members right across the holidays, but it's still very important to check your vehicle before you set off. Tyres (including the spare, if you have one), fuel, EV range, oil levels, coolant and screen wash checks should be made as a minimum.

Likewise keeping water, high protein food or chocolate, warm clothes, coats and a hi-viz jacket will help keep you going should the worst happen6. "While Friday, December 22 and Saturday, December 23 look set to be the busiest travelling days, the unsettled weather forecast could lead to additional delays so drivers should drive to the conditions and slow down where necessary." He added: "New Year's Day will be the quietest day on the roads which is probably a good thing especially if drivers have been partying the previous evening.

Drivers can still be breathalysed and lose their licence for driving over the limit the morning after. So, remember if you are going to drive, don't drink, and if you are going to drink, don't drive."

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What drivers told the AA

A survey of 12,197 AA members3 has revealed when Britain's drivers plan to travel across another bumper-to-bumper Christmas.

More than a fifth of drivers (23%) say they'll be using their car for Christmas shopping on Saturday, December 23. However, Christmas Eve looks to be the main day for shopping with three in 10 (30%) planning to use the car and head for the shops. This will be welcomed by High Streets, markets, retail outlets and shopping centres that will be hopeful of a late festive selling spree before the big day.

For those working throughout the build-up to Christmas, a quarter (25%) plan to drive to and from work on Monday, December 18, but this will tail off to one in five (19%) by Friday, December 22 as many of those who can, take advantage of flexible working patterns and work from home. Commuter traffic is then expected to remain low until the New Year when Tuesday, January 2 will see traffic levels start to return to normal. As with most years, the main days for celebrating with friends and family will be Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Boxing Day with each of these days expected to see an average of 14 million car journeys, but these tend to be shorter, localised trips.

Unsurprisingly, Monday, January 1 will be one of the quietest days on the road, with many sensibly choosing not to drive the morning after the New Year's Eve celebrations. Only one in six (16%) said they plan to drive when visiting friends and family on New Year's Day. Want our best stories with fewer ads and alerts when the biggest news stories drop?

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References

1. ^ traffic (www.gloucestershirelive.co.uk)
2. ^ weather (www.gloucestershirelive.co.uk)
3. ^ Man killed in incident that closed motorway for 17 hours (www.gloucestershirelive.co.uk)
4. ^ Gloucestershire flood warnings as river levels set to peak in coming days (www.gloucestershirelive.co.uk)
5. ^ Gloucestershire Live (www.gloucestershirelive.co.uk)
6. ^ click this link and select 'Join Community'. (chat.whatsapp.com)
7. ^ Gloucestershire Live (www.gloucestershirelive.co.uk)
8. ^ Privacy Notice. (www.reachplc.com)
9. ^ Click here to join our WhatsApp community. (chat.whatsapp.com)
10. ^ iPhone (go.skimresources.com)
11. ^ Android (play.google.com)