Christmas travel: Worst times for driving during ‘record getaway’ revealed

Drivers have been warned which major routes to avoid this Christmas season as experts predict a record number of festive trips will be made.

Around 29.3 million Christmas journeys will take place between Wednesday and 24 December, the RAC has estimated, with nearly half taking place on the pre-Christmas weekend alone.

Surveying over 2,000 drivers, the motoring group has urged festive commuters when to avoid major routes over the coming days. On Friday, it’s best to stay off the roads for the five hours between 2pm and 7pm on Friday 20 December, with nearly three million trips planned across the day.

This jumps to a massive 3.72 million on Saturday, when drivers are urged to avoid the five hours between 1pm and 6pm and set off well before this “gridlock” period if they can.

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The only day predicted to see more journeys than this is Christmas Eve, when 3.76 million journeys are set to be made. The RAC urges drivers who must travel on 24 December to do so outside of the hours from 10am to 4pm, setting off after this if possible.

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.

“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.”

The roads likely to be hit by the longest traffic jams over the coming days have also been revealed.

On Friday, queues of more than 45 minutes can be expected on the M3 between Surrey and Hampshire, on the M25 in west London and the M1 near Watford.

Further north, the M53 northbound from Chester to Liverpool will be worst affected by delays during home-time traffic.

For more Christmas travel advice, visit The Independent’s complete travel guide by expert Simon Calder