Christmas is the season for car journeys across the country.
And in preparation for a busy weekend of driving, the RAC has issued fresh guidance to those driving home for Christmas.
The Manc reports that drivers are being told to prepare for long queues across the UK, as millions are set to take to roads over the extended Christmas weekend.
With the festive season generally known to make roads nationwide busier than usual, travel warnings have now been issued to all those making Christmas getaway trips for the holidays - with a study of 2,100 drivers by the RAC and INRIX suggesting that 21 million journeys are planned before Christmas Eve arrives.
With Christmas falling on a Monday this year, figures show that leisure traffic levels will climb slowly this week, before it jumps by a whopping 43% from 2.2 million journeys on Thursday 21, to 3.2 million on Friday 22 December.
The period covering Friday 22 and Christmas Eve is expected to see the most leisure journeys by car, according to the RAC - with an estimated 13.5 million this year, up 20% from the same period last year.
While Christmas Eve getaways match what's been dubbed ‘Frantic Friday’ trips at 3.2 million, the reality is Friday will be "far busier", the RAC warns, as those heading off for festivities share the roads with commuters and parents collecting the kids from school.
Drivers told to prepare for 'busy roads' as 21 million journeys are expected over Christmas weekend / Credit: The AA | iStockphoto
Roads will also be busy on Christmas Day and Boxing Day, as you'd probably expect.
RAC and INRIX figures show that an average of 3.5 million trips are expected on these two days, but any travel experts say serious delays should be "less of a risk without the normal mix of commercial, commuter, and school traffic".
So, what kinds of delays are we talking then? And which motorways across the UK should motorists be most expecting to come up against traffic and long queues?
Well, data from transport analytics specialists indicates that there are likely to be daily delays of around 40 minutes between Friday 22 and Christmas Eve on the M25 clockwise west of Greater London, while the worst queues - which could be up to an hour - is expected along the M25 clockwise between the M23 for Gatwick, and the M40 for Birmingham on the Saturday 23 December.
A nearby Greater Manchester motorway has been identified as a 'festive getaway' hotspot / Credit - Vladimir Proskurovskiy (via Unsplash)
Looking further afield, the M1 north between Woburn to Daventry, and the M6 south from Wigan to Stafford, is predicted to be "hit the hardest with delays" in the run-up to Christmas Day.
When it comes to the busiest times of day on the UK's roads, 12pm to 2pm has been identified as the the most hectic time to travel across most major routes during the pre-Christmas weekend - with both the RAC and INRIX urging drivers to avoid lunchtime journeys.
The best times to travel will be before 11am and after 6pm on both the 22 and 23 December, as this is when it’s hoped drivers will be able to make it home for Christmas with slightly fewer tailbacks.
Featured Image - RAC
Christmas
Tesco unveils Christmas Meal Deal menu for 2026 and confirms official launch date
Tesco has officially unveiled its Christmas Meal Deal menu for 2026, and has revealed when it’ll be arriving in stores.
Spooky season may not have even arrived yet, but it won’t be long before the most wonderful time of the year is here and most of the UK’s major supermarkets have already started stocking their shelves with Christmas food, drink, and gifts galore.
Tesco has now unveiled all the sandwiches and snacks forming part of its iconic lunchtime meal deal selection.
10 new seasonal mains and sides have been launched this year, as well as some classics and returning fan favourites too.
Images: Tesco
The retailer says its food on-the-go experts have worked hard to bring a variety of festive flavours and great-quality ingredients together this year, with something on offer to cater to all tastes and preferences.
Available in stores and online from next week, with Tesco Clubcard members paying just £3.80 or £5.50 to upgrade to a Premium Meal Deal, some of the all-new main options you can choose from in 2026’s festive lineup include the Fully Loaded Chicken, Stuffing, Braised Red Cabbage & Cranberry Sauce Sandwich, the Christmas Triple Sandwich, and the Pork Meatball Wrap with smoky sage and onion mayonnaise.
Other returning favourites include the Brie and Cranberry Sandwich, the Currywurst Sausage Sub, and the absolute classic Turkey & Trimmings Sandwich.
For veggies and vegans, there’s a new Tesco Plant Chef Christmas Veg Fest Wrap, and for those who follow a gluten free diet, you can grab the Gluten Free Festive Chicken & Trimmings sandwich.
When it comes to snacks to accompany those mains, the festive Mini Pork Pies and Pig in Blanket Sausage Rolls are returning to the lineup this year, alongside some new additions like the Pretzels with Salted Caramel Soft Cheese Dip, and Mini Cheese Twists.
The 2026 Tesco Christmas Meal Deal range will be in stores across the UK from Monday 12 October, and there’s thousands of combinations to try.
Yorkshire-set Christmas film by Leeds director starring Richard E. Grant set to hit UK cinemas next month
Clementine Hall
A brand-new Christmas film is hitting cinemas nationwide next month - and it’s a proper Leeds success story.
Jack Spring directed his first feature film at just 19 years old and has spent the last decade carving out a career in independent film, as well as co-founding Leeds-based production company Shush Films.
His first movie, Destination: Dewsbury, was shot just down the road in - you guessed it - Dewsbury. And after moving to Leeds from Grimsby, Jack became determined to build his business from the city, putting down roots and growing his production company here.
Image: Supplied
Now, after years of working on independent projects, Jack has taken his biggest leap yet with a brand-new Christmas film, Merry Christmas Aubrey Flint.
Set in Yorkshire, Merry Christmas Aubrey Flint follows Aubrey Flint, a reclusive model soldier painter with a lifelong hatred of Christmas, who is sentenced to community service at Willow Lodge - a retirement home on the brink of closure.
Roped into helping with a chaotic production of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol, Aubrey clashes with its interesting set of residents...
And the cast is about as star-studded as it gets, featuring Richard E. Grant, John Bradley, Celia Imrie, Adjoa Andoh, Sophia Di Martino, Adrian Rawlins and Kiell Smith-Bynoe.
Image: Supplied
The heartwarming festive comedy will hit cinemas nationwide on Friday 6 November - a huge milestone for a Leeds-based director and production company, taking a homegrown Yorkshire story to audiences across the country.
You just can't beat a proper wholesome British Christmas film, so you can best believe we'll be watching in the cinema, popcorn in hand.
Emily Sergeant -
19th December 2023 
