Drivers are being told to expect and prepare for long queues across the UK as millions are set to take to roads over the Christmas weekend.
With the festive season generally known to make roads nationwide busier than usual as a given, but this year, with congestion expected to be impacted further due to the ongoing strike action by thousands of members of the RMT union at Network Rail - which means train services with finish at around 3pm on Christmas Eve - The AA has now issued a warning to anyone making a journey this weekend.
The AA says it expects today (23 December) will be the busiest day on the roads this week, with an estimated 16.9 million journeys being made across the UK.
On top of this, a further 16.6 million are then expected to be made on Christmas Eve.
Drivers told to expect 'long queues' as millions take to the roads this Christmas weekend / Credit: Vladimir Proskurovskiy (via Unsplash)
Adding to the AA's warning, the RAC has also revealed when it expects roads will be busiest, and which roads are likely to be the most affected.
Roads are expected to be the busiest between 10am and 7pm today (Friday), which for many is the last working day before Christmas, while the roads named as likely to be the most affected by congestion include the M25, the M60 near Manchester, the M6 in North West England, and the M40 in Oxfordshire.
Rail strikes are not the only industrial action expected to affect traffic on the roads either, with those travelling by air also having been told to expect delays as Border Force staff at several major airports across the UK are currently striking over the festive period too.
Of course, with this Christmas also being the first in recent years to be unaffected by COVID-19 social distancing restrictions and measures in place, transport analytics company Inrix has said it expects journey times to be around 14% longer compared to the same period last year thanks to post-pandemic traffic numbers.
More than 33 million journeys are expected to be made over the next three days / Credit: iStock
In a bid to help ease festive traffic, National Highways has confirmed that almost 98% of England's motorways and major A-roads will be fully open until the end of 2 January due to it completing and lifting roadworks.
"We are advising those heading out in their cars to be prepared for some congestion," explained Jack Cousens, Head of Roads Policy at The AA.
"The rail strikes have convinced more people to travel by car this year, and while hundreds of miles of roadworks have been removed to ease the pain, it might not be enough to keep the queues away."
RAC spokesman Rod Dennis said that there will be "two frantic days of travelling just before Christmas".
Featured Image - The AA
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Wakefield set to be the first city outside of London to display the UK AIDS Memorial Quilt
The UK Aids Memorial Quilt is set to go on display across Wakefield this summer.
The quilt - consisting of 42 quilts and 23 individual panels, representing over 384 individuals affected by HIV and AIDS - will go on display at WX Wakefield from Thursday 4 to Sunday 7 June 2026.
All 42 quilts will be on display, with WX working in partnership with the UK AIDS Memorial Quilt Conservation Partnership.
Across the same weekend, selected individual panels will be displayed at different venues across the city including The Hepworth Wakefield, The Art House Wakefield, Theatre Royal Wakefield, Pontefract Castle and the Yorkshire Sculpture Park.
Part of the world’s largest community art project, this is a huge opportunity for the city of Wakefield. The project started in the USA back in 1985 by activist Cleve Jones, commemorating friends, family and loved ones lost to AIDS.
Individual panels were then stitched together to create larger quilts, which were shown outdoors as a form of protest to raise awareness about HIV and AIDS.
Today, the quilt stands as a crucial reminder of those who were lost and of the continuing affect that HIV and AIDS has on the people of today.
At WX Wakefield, viewing the quilt is completely free and on Friday 5 June there will be a special late night opening up until 10:30pm to view the exhibition.
And on Saturday 6 June at 2:30pm, there will be a very special and poignant reading of the names of those commemorated on the quilt.
Featured image - UK AIDS Memorial Quilt, installation view at Tate Modern, June 2025. Photo: AM Hanson
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Leeds’ first frozen yoghurt bar is opening in Headingley this weekend
Clementine Hall
The frozen yoghurt craze is on its way to Leeds as Kefiyo is set to open in Headingley in just a few days.
It's a phenomenon that has caught the attention of the TikTok and Instagram girlies as of late, with frozen yoghurt bars popping up in Manchester and going viral online.
The ice cold sweet treat is supposedly 'healthy' and with a slogan of 'eat Clean. feel Light. live Better.' - this new spot in Leeds seems to be going down that route too.
Kefiyo will be opening in the old Sixes site on Ash Road in Headingley, and they've just announced that they'll be soft launching this Sunday 19 April 2026.
The space is already sporting a super cute pastel green and pink exterior, and it's exactly matching the aesthetic that you'd expect with froyo.
Kefiyo will offer a range of frozen yoghurt flavours with a whole bunch of toppings for you to customise to your tastebuds, as well as fresh acai bowls.
Situated slap bang in the centre of Headingley, we've got a feeling it'll be very busy with students on their way to their morning lecture or at night for those looking for a sweet treat that doesn't feel too naughty.
We'll keep you updated on more Kefiyo updates as and when we find out.
But in the meantime, you can keep an eye on their socials here. We'll see you soon for a scoop Leeds.
Emily Sergeant -
23rd December 2022 
