The UK's great Christmas getaway reached its peak this afternoon, with millions of Britons heading home on what has been dubbed 'Frantic Friday'. The nation's roads, airports, and railways were plunged into chaos as a perfect storm of holiday travel and the end of the working week created widespread gridlock.
Roads and Rail in Gridlock
The AA predicted a staggering 24.4 million cars would be on UK roads today, marking what is expected to be the busiest Christmas travel period on record. Analysis from transport experts Inrix, in association with the AA, warned of lengthy delays at peak times. Drivers leaving major cities for the Christmas break found themselves sharing the roads with commuters finishing work, dramatically increasing congestion.
Key locations at severe risk of traffic jams included the M25 near London Heathrow Airport and at Bluewater in Kent, the M60 near the Trafford Centre, the M5/M6 interchange near Birmingham, the M4/M5 interchange near Bristol, and the M8 in Scotland. Specific delays of over 30 minutes were forecast from 4.30pm on the M25 clockwise from J15 to J19 and anticlockwise from Kingston to East Grinstead.
Rail passengers also faced significant disruption. Services across the Northern network were hit by a driver shortage, a burst water main blocked Greater Anglia services through Rye House in Hertfordshire, and the Bakerloo and Northern lines in London both suffered delays.
Airports Brace for Record Numbers
UK airports are experiencing their busiest Christmas getaway in history. Travel trade organisation Abta estimated that more than five million people from the UK will travel abroad between today and January 4th. Heathrow, the nation's busiest airport, is preparing for over seven million passengers this month alone, with strong sales reported for winter sun destinations like Spain, the Canaries, and Turkey.
The Port of Dover estimated nearly 30,000 cars would embark on outbound sailings during the festive period, with traffic peaking between 6am and 1pm from Friday to Sunday.
Engineering Works and Future Travel Warnings
The travel misery is set to continue beyond today. Engineering work by Network Rail will place further pressure on the roads, particularly after Christmas Day. Major projects will affect the West Coast Main Line to and from London Euston from December 27 to January 4, and journeys between Scotland and north-west England from New Year's Day.
Other significant rail disruptions include no trains between Leeds and York from Christmas Day to January 2, and no services between Cambridge North, Cambridge, Bury St Edmunds and Stansted Airport from Christmas Day until January 5. London Waterloo will be closed between Christmas Day and December 28.
TomTom traffic expert Andy Marchant warned of 'severe' traffic tomorrow for a 'super Saturday' of last-minute shopping and travel. He advised drivers to plan ahead, allow extra time, and monitor real-time traffic updates. The RAC forecast that a total of 37.5 million leisure trips by car are planned between this past Wednesday and Christmas Eve, the highest number since it began recording this data in 2013.
Despite the chaos, a survey of over 10,000 AA members suggested most drivers are staying local, with 65% planning a journey of up to 50 miles today. Visiting family and friends remains the primary reason for festive car travel.
