MOTORISTS are being warned of the traffic hotspots to avoid this festive season with more than 23 million road users expected.
The high volume of predicted journeys has resulted in amber travel warnings being issued.
Friday 20th has been singled out as the busiest day for festive journeys with the M25, M6 around Birmingham and the M4 out of London all expected to be busier than usual.
A record number of 23.7 million drivers could hit the roads before the weekend which has led to the AA announcing amber traffic warnings ahead of the Christmas Getaway period.
The caution has been extended to Saturday 21st and Monday 23rd, despite most drivers being expected to stay local.
Traffic hotspots have already been identified with Saturday expected to be particularly hectic for the M1 around Meadowhall, the M25 around Bluewater and the M60 around the Trafford Centre.
The AA’s estimates have also singled out the A34 from Oxford to Newbury and the M62 Simister Interchange.
Meanwhile, Monday could see chaos for parts of the M1, the M42 J3A to J8, the A64 around York and the A303 around Stonehenge.
Both the M5 from Bristol to Taunton, and the A34 Oxford to Newbury have been listed as potential traffic hotspots on the same day.
Estimates currently suspect only one per cent of drivers will venture further than 400 miles and some are hoping that festive journeys may be more spread out due to Christmas falling on a Wednesday.
In fact, Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day are expected to be the quietest on the roads.
With most journey makers expected to be hopping into their vehicles for the purpose of visiting friends and family, nearly half will be heading out shopping.
Following the country suffering from storms and wintry weather, the AA have also issued advice for those planning on travelling amidst the busier roads and potentially adverse weather conditions.
Understanding the what3words app could be important if your car breaks down as it enables you to pinpoint your location and allow help to get to you quicker.
AA patrols will also be taking place across Christmas Day to rescue those in trouble.
Last year, 2,400 members were supported by the breakdown cover company on the 25th.
Currently, the Met Office has not ruled out snow on higher ground with temperatures expected to be around the seasonal norm.
Chris Wood, AA Patrol of the Year, said: “The Ghost of Christmas Past shows that each year, avoidable breakdowns snowball into miles of queues on the roads.
“Drivers can maintain the Christmas cheer by performing basic checks on their car before any journey.
“This includes topping up the windscreen wash and anti-freeze, checking your lights and adjusting tyre pressures for a full load if necessary.
“With people driving fewer miles, it means there will be more localised congestion as record numbers head out on the roads this festive period. The best way to ensure hassle-free journeys is to plan them well.
“Check the traffic reports before you leave and try to travel when it’s quieter if you can, or consider taking a different route to beat the jams.”
The AA has issued amber traffic warnings for the 20th, 21st and 23rd of December so it is important to take note of the hotspots if you're planning on making a journey during the festive period.
Friday
Saturday
Monday
