Lease Car has issued a warning to drivers where to avoid when commuting home for Christmas.
December is an exceptionally busy month for traffic, with certain motorways and A roads predictably seeing heavier traffic than others, meaning drivers face lengthy delays and disruption to their travel. LeaseCar’s analysis aims to help Britons successfully drive home for Christmas by highlighting these likely traffic hotspots and sharing the worst times and dates to travel.
This traffic analysis confirms that the days leading up to Christmas Day will see the most road traffic, particularly Christmas Eve, Friday 19th December and Saturday 20th December, which have been dubbed ‘Mad Friday’ and ‘Standstill Saturday’. As rail networks and bus routes expect to see planned work and delays, a record high of approximately 29.3 million cars are set to take to the roads over the Christmas period, with routes made between 1pm and 7pm seeing the worst congestion.
Drivers can anticipate significantly longer journey times on key sections of the UK’s motorway network, especially routes connecting major cities and travel hubs. Overall, travellers around Greater London could experience more than double their typical drive times. The increased volume, coupled with winter weather, sees collision risk rise by 22% in December, according to past studies. The busiest single day for road traffic is predicted to be Christmas Eve, with over 3.7 million separate journeys expected.
UK’s worst Christmas commutes revealed
The M25 motorway
The London Orbital Motorway is anticipated to be extremely busy throughout the festive period. Certain sections near key interchanges such as the M3, the M1 and the M23 for Gatwick Airport are all well-known bottlenecks as travellers depart London for the south coast or airports. On ‘Standstill Saturday’, the M25 clockwise between the M23 (Gatwick) and the M40 for Birmingham is predicted to see the worst congestion, with delays of up to an hour likely. The anti-clockwise stretch between the M1 (near Watford) and the M23 (for Gatwick Airport) is also a major congestion point, with delays expected to exceed 45 minutes on ‘Mad Friday’.
The M3, M4 and M5
The M3 between the M25 and the South Coast is expected to experience queues of 45 minutes or more on busy days such as Fridays throughout December. The M4 from London towards Bristol and the M5 connecting Bristol to Taunton and Weston-Super-Mare, will also be busy, with the M4/M5 interchange near Bristol being a major hotspot for extended festive delays.
The M1 Motorway
Traffic build-up is predicted through the Midlands, specifically along the sections in Bedfordshire and Northamptonshire, where delays are expected to exceed 45 minutes on busy days. The M1 northbound between Woburn and Daventry is forecast to be one of the hardest hit stretches nationwide in the run-up to Christmas Day. Sections near Meadowhall (Sheffield) are also expected to see heavy traffic from shoppers. It’s recommended that drivers check local road updates before travelling this route.
The M6 Motorway
Longer journey times are forecast around the West Midlands, particularly the crucial M5 to M6 interchange near Birmingham and the heavily used stretches between Junctions 4 and 11 towards Wolverhampton. The M6 southbound from Wigan to Stafford is also predicted to be heavily affected, with typical delays of 30 to 45 minutes expected during the aforementioned Friday and Saturday peak travel windows. Higher volumes are also expected further north around the M60 in Manchester and the M53 linking Chester to Liverpool. The M6 southbound between Wigan and Stafford is also predicted to be heavily affected, meaning drivers should take care to plan routes carefully in advance.
The A1 and the M74/A74 corridor
Significant congestion is expected on the A1(M), particularly around Newcastle and the sections leading to Scotland. The M74/A74(M) corridor, the main route between England and Scotland, is expected to see heavy volumes of traffic, particularly around the Glasgow and Edinburgh peripheries. Drivers heading north on the Friday and Saturday before Christmas should prepare for delays of at least one hour on key stretches depending on conditions and rail disruption.
The M62 and M60
The M62 linking Manchester and Leeds and the M60 around the Trafford Centre in Manchester, are key routes expected to see substantial Christmas congestion. especially around Junctions 26 to 28 (M606/M60 and M62). The M60 around the Trafford Centre in Manchester will be heavily affected by shoppers and the M53 connecting Chester to Liverpool will also experience delays for those heading to the Mersey tunnels or regional airports. Drivers should factor in potential delays of 30 to 45 minutes on these routes during the afternoon peak on busy days.
The M4 and A55
Delays are highly anticipated on the M4 approaching the Severn crossings and around Newport and Cardiff, with peak-time journey increases of over 45 minutes expected, particularly on the eastbound section. In North Wales, the A55 along the coast will see high traffic volumes, with significant delays forecast at known bottlenecks like the Conwy Tunnel and the area around the Posthouse Roundabout (A483/A55).
The A34 and A303
Key arteries like the A34 (Oxford to Newbury) and the A303 (around Stonehenge) frequently experience high traffic during festive travel and should be factored into journey planning.
Expert advice for the Christmas commute
Despite congestion warnings, many people still prefer to travel by car when heading home for Christmas, largely due to convenience and practicality. One survey found that half (53%) of drivers choose to travel by car for increased flexibility and convenience regarding travel times and destinations. One third (34%) of drivers stated that public transport was not a practical option because they were travelling with multiple people or significant luggage, while 35% felt their journey would take too long via public transport alternatives.
Tim Alcock, Director at LeaseCar commented:
“My main piece of advice for drivers is to plan carefully and travel during off-peak hours where possible. Setting off before 11am or after 8pm on the busiest days, particularly the 19th, 20th and 24th of December, could significantly reduce delays and stress. You should also take your time to plan your routes in advance to try and avoid traffic hotspots.
“To help ensure everyone’s safety and keep the roads moving smoothly, I’d encourage all drivers to adopt a full car check before hitting the roads and prepare for unexpected delays. Drivers should ensure oil, coolant, screenwash and anti-freeze levels are correct before setting off. They should also check all lights are working and make sure that tyre pressure and tread depth are within legal limits, to make sure they’re prepared for any unexpected issues that could arise.”
