News: Drivers warned of traffic jams on Friday, December 19

MOTORISTS HAVE been told to expect traffic jams and big delays on British roads this Friday, December 19, as up to 20m cars hit the road for the Christmas holiday.

Inrix, which provides real-time traffic information to a number of in-car navigation systems and public-sector bodies, claims that the longest delays are likely to be on the M1, M6 and M25 over the Christmas period.

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The company predicts that on one 60-mile section of the M1 northbound the normal 60-minute journey time could be extended by 1 hour and 25 minutes. But the longest delays are predicted on the M25 anticlockwise, where the 40-minute trip between junction 23 and junction 10 could take around 2 hours and 20 minutes.

Greg Hallsworth, an analyst at Inrix,  said: “Drivers would be well advised to steer clear of driving this Friday afternoon as this will be the busiest period on the roads this Christmas.

“There will be significant delays between 12pm and 6pm caused by a combination of the usual Friday evening post-work peak, the start of English school holidays and people driving home for Christmas.”

Delays are also expected on Tuesday, December 23, when another phase of mass pre-Christmas travelling is expected, and Saturday, December 27, when many will set off in preparation for new year celebrations.