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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Leeds’ most famous pub has announced the return of its annual FREE Beer Festival this summer
Whitelock’s Ale House has announced the return of its annual Beer Festival - hoorah!
There’s nothing quite like a nice fresh pint, and we all know Whitelock’s Ale House know how to pour a good one.
So it's with great glee that we can fill you in on their upcoming Beer Festival which will be returning to the iconic festival from Thursday 18 to Sunday 21 June 2026.
The four-day festival will celebrate the best of independent brewing in Leeds, with beers sourced exclusively from local breweries.
Featured breweries will include Northern Monk, Kirkstall Brewery, Anthology, Amity Brew Co. and more.
Known as the oldest pub in Leeds, Whitelock’s Ale House has long championed independent beers and local brewing culture.
Image: Supplied
This year’s festival aims to spotlight the strength and diversity of the city’s brewing scene, with the tagline 'Beer tastes better up north!'
Beer will be pouring throughout the weekend across Whitelock's Ale House and The Turk's Head, with further brewery announcements and festival details set to be shared in the coming weeks via their Instagram.
The best part? Entry to the festival is completely free.
Talking about this year’s festival, General Manager Beth said: “Beer has always been at the heart of Whitelock’s, so this felt like the right year to celebrate both the breweries on our doorstep and the city we’ve called home for more than 300 years.
"Leeds has a brilliantly strong independent beer scene right now, and we’re looking forward to showcasing some of the best breweries the city has to offer across the weekend.”
You can find out more about Whitelock's Ale House and their fabulous Beer Festival here via their website. Cheers to that!
Inside Leeds’ very first sauna and ice bath cafe hidden behind a railway arch
Clementine Hall
Get ready to take the plunge Leeds, as a community-led sauna and ice bath concept has landed in the city centre.
Hidden behind a railway arch in Saxton Gardens, Kontrast has brought its popular sauna and ice bath concept to the city.
Following the huge success of its Manchester site, Kontrast Leeds combines saunas, ice baths and a cafe designed to bring wellness into everyday life.
The Leeds space features two traditional saunas, one infrared saunas and four ice baths each varying in temperature between 3 and 13 degrees.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
The space is absolutely gorgeous, complete with trendy tin ceilings, fairy lights and soft furnishings.
Plunge pools can be enjoyed solo or shared, depending on what guests choose, giving people the opportunity to shape each session around exactly what they need that day.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
The same goes for the saunas, with one silent and one sauna giving guests the option to come for conversation or reflection.
Single sessions will cost just £12 for 45 minutes, with 90-minute sessions from £20.
There's a fab little cafe too offering all sorts from electrolyte slushes to ginger shots and a range of coffees and matcha.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
Known for making sauna and ice feel more accessible, welcoming and community-driven, Kontrast has grown beyond regular sessions to become a base for recurring events. These include their live ambient DJ set event, Unwind, which celebrates local talent, and their weekly run club, both of which the team hopes to bring to Leeds as part of building a similar sense of community in the city.
Officially opening their doors this Friday 29 May, Kontrast are offering free sessions over the weekend so you can try before you buy. Book your spot here.
Emily Sergeant -
23rd December 2022 
