As the Christmas rush kicks in, millions of travelers have hit the roads and railways, marking one of the busiest travel periods of the year in the UK.
Anticipating significant congestion, the AA highlighted expected traffic snarls around shopping hubs, football arenas, and ports. With London Paddington and Kings Cross stations closing on Christmas Eve, this surge in travel marks the final opportunity for many to catch trains to or from these stations.
Fortunately, as of now, major disruptions haven't been reported. Earlier, there were slight delays for ferry passengers heading to France from Dover's Port, but those queues have since dissipated.
The AA cautioned about potential extended traffic delays, especially around key areas like London's Heathrow Airport, Manchester's Trafford Centre, and Avonmouth. However, the peak of road congestion likely occurred on Friday afternoon when leisure travelers jostled for space with commuters and business traffic.
"Plan your journey and brace for possible delays," advised an AA spokesperson.
The RAC suggested motorists consider traveling before 11:00 GMT or after 18:00 GMT to minimize the risk of getting stuck in lengthy queues.
Meanwhile, the British Retail Consortium anticipated bustling high streets across the country, noting a trend of last-minute Christmas shopping this year.
Saturday morning at the Port of Dover initially hinted at 90-minute waits for French border controls as holiday travelers aimed to depart for Christmas. However, by early afternoon, these queues had vanished, indicating "no wait time."
This spike in ferry demand followed the closure of the Channel Tunnel rail link on Thursday due to unexpected industrial action by French workers.
The Met Office cautioned about potential travel disruptions owing to adverse weather conditions in various parts of the UK over the weekend. Strong winds were forecasted for northern Scotland and northern and central England on Christmas Eve, prompting two separate yellow warnings. These warnings highlighted the likelihood of travel disturbances, building damages, and power outages. Additionally, a rain warning covered much of Wales, signaling potential flooding and travel disruptions. Christmas Day is expected to bring widespread rain across the UK. Photo by Phillip Perry, Wikimedia commons.