21/12/2007 12:12:29
The RAC predicts the great festive getaway will reach its peak at 3pm this afternoon, as 18 million people drive home for Christmas.
The second busiest days for road travel will be 27 and 28 December with 16m cars expected. Christmas Day is due to be the quietest time, with just four million drivers expected to hit the road.
Reuters says the early rush is due to Christmas Day falling on a Tuesday. Just one in four people intend to work on Christmas Eve, according to a survey by office supplier Regus.
The Highways Agency says that most roadworks will be suspended over the holiday season to ease congestion, but disruption is expected at 36 busy locations, including the M1, M4, M56 and M25.
The busiest day on the trains will be Friday and Saturday. Passengers on the West Coast Mainline are advised to plan alternative routes if travelling between 27 December and New Year’s Eve, according to a report by BBC News, as the line will be closed completely for engineering works.
Industrial action by airport workers had been due to start on 28 December, threatening misery for some of the 3.5 million people flying abroad over the Christmas period. However, it was announced this morning that the strikes have been postponed until January.
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