Get all your news in one place.

100’s of premium titles.
One app.

Start reading

Get all your news in one place.

100’s of premium titles. One news app.

Start reading

Wales Online

National

Molly Dowrick

The best and worst times to travel on the roads this Christmas

RAC

Over the next few days, hundreds of thousands of us will be reliving Chris Rea's classic Christmas hit: Driving Home for Christmas. People from across Wales will be travelling the length and breadth of the country to see family for the festive break, with many continuing on to England, Scotland and further afield.

Of course, with so many travelling to see their loved ones over Christmas, we're going to see a huge number of extra cars on the road - the RAC estimates that between December 19 and December 24, people in the UK will make 19.6 million separate trips to see friends and family, with 40% of all journeys crammed into "frantic" Friday, December 23 and Christmas Eve.

Plus, this year we have Christmas rail strikes to contend with, beginning at 6pm on December 24 and continuing (in the first wave) until 7am on December 27 - causing even more people to travel by car or coach than usual. Scroll down for the best and worst times to travel on the UK's major roads this Christmas. For the latest traffic and travel news, go here.

Explaining what drivers could expect on the roads over the Christmas break, a spokesperson for RAC Breakdown said: "Our research suggests getaway traffic will build steadily all week, culminating in two frantic days of travelling just before Christmas itself.

"By Friday, we fear it will be a case of 'jams today and jams tomorrow' on the roads as millions of people jump behind the wheel to see family and friends – with last-minute Christmas shoppers as well as the impact of another rail strike also leading to an increase in traffic. If possible, drivers should try to make their trips on a quieter day earlier this week if they possibly can.

"One saving grace for drivers might be that much of the country will see milder weather conditions this week with a much smaller chance of snow and ice like we saw just a week ago. Nonetheless, it's still vital drivers do everything they can to avoid their cars letting them down.

"Checking oil and coolant when the engine is cold are two simple things that can cut the chances of a serious breakdown, as is ensuring tyres have plenty of grip and are inflated properly. Topping up with a good quality screen wash that protects to well below zero degrees is also important as gritted roads create a constant need for clearing the windscreen."

Transportation analyst at traffic monitoring site Inrix, Bob Pishue, said: "With pre-pandemic levels of travellers hitting the road this holiday, drivers must be prepared for delays – especially in and around major cities. Our data shows, and our advice is, to avoid travelling during peak commuting hours this week. If schedules allow, leave bright and early or following the end of the afternoon commute.”

Customer service director at National Highways, Andrew Butterfield added: "We don't want roadworks to spoil Christmas, so we're doing everything we can to make journeys as smooth as possible; that's why we're keeping almost 98% of the road network we manage free from roadworks.

"We know from experience that peak travel times can vary in the run-up to Christmas, so we’re encouraging drivers to check conditions before heading out to help keep traffic flowing. And we’re also asking motorists to be prepared before setting off. Almost half of breakdowns can be easily avoided if motorists carry out simple vehicle checks before their journeys."