Christmas travel: The roads to avoid as millions of drivers embark on festive getaway | UK News
It’s this time of year again – millions of motorists will take to the streets to celebrate Christmas with family or friends, or just to go on holiday.
The busiest days for travel will be December 23 and Christmas Eve, with AA estimating that each day of those days will see nearly 17 million cars on the road.
A survey of more than 12,000 car drivers indicated that 51% plan to make a journey by car on December 23, and 50% plan to make one the next day.
Business-related travel is expected to decline after December 16 until the new year, while December 17 is predicted to be the busiest day for major streets, shops selling retail and shopping malls.
The busiest roads are likely to be:
• M25
• M5 between Bristol and Weston-super-Mare
• M6 around Birmingham
• M1 from Luton to the north
• M60 and M62 in north-west England
• The M4 runs between west London and south-west Wales
• M27 in Hampshire.
AA President Edmund King said: “Our professional patrol teams will be working throughout the holidays to help troubleshoot vehicles with problems and assist drivers should they experience an incident. accident.
“Many incidents are preventable, so it’s important to have your vehicle checked before you depart.”
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Disruptions to rail services due to industrial activity and engineering work will also increase traffic, as more people are forced to use cars.
Transport Secretary Mark Harper has criticized unions representing rail workers, who will organize two 48-hour strikes this week in the latest phase of their dispute over money. salary and conditions.
Writing for The Daily Telegraph, Mr Harper said: “This year many families may have no choice but to change their plans and celebrate a virtual Christmas once again.
“This is not caused by a new public health pandemic, but by rail strikes, planned by the RMT union to cause misery during the festive period.”
He said the “catastrophic” situation was not “inevitable”, and called on the RMT union to stop striking.
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RMT Secretary General Mick Lynch has written to Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, saying their meeting is now the best chance for progress.
But Mr Harper said the government had “played its part” in trying to bring the dispute to an end.
He wrote: “I want this dispute to be over as soon as possible. We have agreed to continue working to reach an agreement while ensuring fairness for taxpayers.
“In the first few weeks of this new government in power, we have demonstrated that we are reasonably prepared – to discuss issues directly with union leaders and to try to facilitate dispute resolution. This mortgage by allowing a new and improved government. Pay offers are made by the employer.”
