Motorists cautioned about significant congestion during Christmas travel period

Motorists should make preparations for what is anticipated to be “one of the busiest Christmas getaways in years.” Significant congestion is projected throughout the West of England on routes such as the M4, M5, A38, and A303, especially in the latter part of the day and on the Saturday and Monday preceding Christmas, according to alerts from motoring organisations. Individuals operating vehicles received guidance to refrain from journeys between 11:00 and 18:00 GMT on these specific days. Additionally, Great Western Railway has cautioned train commuters that their services are expected to experience high occupancy. Friday is forecasted to be the most congested day for road travel during the holiday season, with approximately 23.7 million drivers intending to undertake a journey, as reported by the AA. This figure surpasses the peak Christmas getaway day recorded in any year since the AA commenced data collection in 2010. Congestion hotspots are foreseen at the M4/M5 Almondsbury interchange and along the A38 in Somerset. Rod Dennis, a breakdown cover expert from the RAC, stated that he refers to 21 December as “snarl-up Saturday.” For Monday, traffic delays are expected on the A303 near Stonehenge in Wiltshire, and on the M5 connecting Bristol and Taunton. “Our research shows it could be one of the busiest Christmas getaways that we’ve seen in years,” Mr Dennis commented. He further mentioned that Christmas Eve would also be exceptionally busy, characterized by “lots of people making last-minute trips to see friends and family.” To circumvent the most severe traffic, drivers received recommendations to listen to local radio broadcasts and consult traffic applications prior to commencing their journeys. Great Western Railway has also released advisories recommending against train travel to Bath on Sunday. On a more positive note, the Met Office has indicated that driving conditions during Christmas will not be overly adverse, with temperatures remaining significantly above freezing, despite forecasts for wind and rain. Christmas Day, Boxing Day, and New Year’s Day are projected to experience the lowest traffic volumes on the road network.