Christmas in Britain has many wonderful traditions – from steaming hot turkey and stuffing to Christmas trees covered in colourful fairy lights.
One tradition that we could all happily do without though is the annual festive traffic rush. It is a familiar nightmare of gridlocked roads and overcrowded trains; so, how can you avoid it this year?
Pick the right day to travel
There is nothing unpredictable about festive travel chaos, as it is the same story every year. Certain days on the calendar see huge numbers of people attempting to get from one place to another. Scheduling around them can make life a lot easier.
The busiest days before Christmas are the 23 December and the morning of the 24. In particular, the first of those dates is the peak travel day, so getting anywhere will not be easy. If you are planning to spend Christmas with family or friends, try travelling on the 22nd instead, if possible.
Coming back, the busiest days are those from 27 to 29 December, plus the 2 and 3 January. Try to schedule your return trip on alternative dates.
Timing is everything
If work commitments mean you must travel on the busiest days, you can make life easier by picking the right time of day. The worst time for travelling on 23 December is from late morning to evening. Therefore, you can avoid traffic stress by setting off early when roads and trains are clear. Much the same applies when you are coming back.
Follow this guidance for smoother Christmas travel this year.
