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| Christmas travel getaway in numbers | Christmas travel getaway in numbers |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| About 14 million journeys of at least 20 miles will be made on Friday 18 December as people going on holiday mix with shoppers and commuter traffic, according to the AA. | |
| The figure, from a survey of its members, represents a rise of about three million journeys on the Friday before Christmas last year. | The figure, from a survey of its members, represents a rise of about three million journeys on the Friday before Christmas last year. |
| Hundreds of rail services are also set to be disrupted by engineering work between Christmas and New Year; Thousands of people will also take to the sky on flights to visit family and friends. | Hundreds of rail services are also set to be disrupted by engineering work between Christmas and New Year; Thousands of people will also take to the sky on flights to visit family and friends. |
| However you choose to travel, you might encounter traffic or delays. So which is the best way to get to family and friends and when are the worst times to make the journey? | However you choose to travel, you might encounter traffic or delays. So which is the best way to get to family and friends and when are the worst times to make the journey? |
| Hitting the road? | Hitting the road? |
| Chris Rea might have sung fondly of driving home for Christmas but for most families it is a necessary evil. | Chris Rea might have sung fondly of driving home for Christmas but for most families it is a necessary evil. |
| Highways England is promising to lift almost 400 miles of roadworks by 06:00 GMT on 23 December, which it says will leave 98% of the motorway and major road network clear. However 43 sets of roadworks will remain in place for safety reasons. | Highways England is promising to lift almost 400 miles of roadworks by 06:00 GMT on 23 December, which it says will leave 98% of the motorway and major road network clear. However 43 sets of roadworks will remain in place for safety reasons. |
| According to the AA, which surveyed its members, about 6.7 million journeys of 20 miles or more are expected be made on Christmas Day. | According to the AA, which surveyed its members, about 6.7 million journeys of 20 miles or more are expected be made on Christmas Day. |
| But the survey reveals the busiest day of the festive period is expected to be 18 December, when schools break up for the holidays. | But the survey reveals the busiest day of the festive period is expected to be 18 December, when schools break up for the holidays. |
| Spokesman Gavin Hill-Smith said: "It will be a combination of parents picking the children up from school and heading away, people going Christmas shopping and, of course, the normal commuting traffic. | Spokesman Gavin Hill-Smith said: "It will be a combination of parents picking the children up from school and heading away, people going Christmas shopping and, of course, the normal commuting traffic. |
| "It's also advisable to try to avoid driving near town and city centres or out of town shopping centres on the Saturday as that is shaping up to be a very busy day." | "It's also advisable to try to avoid driving near town and city centres or out of town shopping centres on the Saturday as that is shaping up to be a very busy day." |
| The AA survey revealed 45% of its members were planning to travel at least 20 miles on the Friday before Christmas, with another 41% on the Saturday, 19 December. Things then quieten down towards 25 December. | The AA survey revealed 45% of its members were planning to travel at least 20 miles on the Friday before Christmas, with another 41% on the Saturday, 19 December. Things then quieten down towards 25 December. |
| Is your motorway clear? Check any disruption with BBC Travel | Is your motorway clear? Check any disruption with BBC Travel |
| Travelling by rail? | Travelling by rail? |
| Travellers are being warned to expect delays and cancellations on the UK's railways between Christmas Eve and 3 January. | Travellers are being warned to expect delays and cancellations on the UK's railways between Christmas Eve and 3 January. |
| There are 221 warnings of disruption as 20,000 Network Rail workers carry out 500 separate pieces of engineering across 7,500 sites. The disruption includes the complete closure of the West Coast Main Line between Stafford and Crewe on 27 and 28 December. | There are 221 warnings of disruption as 20,000 Network Rail workers carry out 500 separate pieces of engineering across 7,500 sites. The disruption includes the complete closure of the West Coast Main Line between Stafford and Crewe on 27 and 28 December. |
| Network Rail has warned passengers to plan ahead. | Network Rail has warned passengers to plan ahead. |
| The largest number of warnings are for Sunday, 3 January - just as many people prepare to return to work. The National Rail Enquiries website gives 43 individual alerts. However, Network Rail says the majority of its work will be carried out during 25 and 26 December, when fewer trains run anyway. | The largest number of warnings are for Sunday, 3 January - just as many people prepare to return to work. The National Rail Enquiries website gives 43 individual alerts. However, Network Rail says the majority of its work will be carried out during 25 and 26 December, when fewer trains run anyway. |
| A spokesman said: "Some of these improvement works... will ultimately deliver more trains, more frequent services, and quicker journeys. | A spokesman said: "Some of these improvement works... will ultimately deliver more trains, more frequent services, and quicker journeys. |
| "We are grateful to [passengers] for their understanding while we work to keep disruption to a minimum. | "We are grateful to [passengers] for their understanding while we work to keep disruption to a minimum. |
| Heading on to the railways? Check BBC travel for latest incidents | Heading on to the railways? Check BBC travel for latest incidents |
| Taking flight? | Taking flight? |
| About five million people flew abroad for Christmas from UK airports last year. | About five million people flew abroad for Christmas from UK airports last year. |
| Heathrow Airport said 106,000 passengers will arrive at and depart from its terminals on Christmas Day. But it expects Saturday to be the busiest day as 219,000 people take to the skies from the UK's biggest airport. | Heathrow Airport said 106,000 passengers will arrive at and depart from its terminals on Christmas Day. But it expects Saturday to be the busiest day as 219,000 people take to the skies from the UK's biggest airport. |
| Almost two thirds of passengers travel to see family and friends, nearly double the percentage for the rest of the year. The most popular destinations according to flights booked are New York, Dubai, Dublin, Frankfurt, Hong Kong, Doha, Madrid, Amsterdam, Paris and Delhi. | Almost two thirds of passengers travel to see family and friends, nearly double the percentage for the rest of the year. The most popular destinations according to flights booked are New York, Dubai, Dublin, Frankfurt, Hong Kong, Doha, Madrid, Amsterdam, Paris and Delhi. |
| 'Panic Saturday' | 'Panic Saturday' |
| Town centres are likely to be at their busiest on 19 December, which retailers have dubbed "Panic Saturday" because of people heading to the shops, including those who may fear new online orders will not arrive in time. | Town centres are likely to be at their busiest on 19 December, which retailers have dubbed "Panic Saturday" because of people heading to the shops, including those who may fear new online orders will not arrive in time. |
| Jane Bagnall, of discounts website Voucher Codes, said there was a very specific time they expected shops to be at their busiest. | Jane Bagnall, of discounts website Voucher Codes, said there was a very specific time they expected shops to be at their busiest. |
| "Peak times on Panic Saturday will be 2.05pm," she said. "Drivers will struggle with traffic. There will be people heading out to the shops after lunch, grudgingly in some cases because it might be the night after their Christmas party." | "Peak times on Panic Saturday will be 2.05pm," she said. "Drivers will struggle with traffic. There will be people heading out to the shops after lunch, grudgingly in some cases because it might be the night after their Christmas party." |
| Rail disruption over Christmas | Rail disruption over Christmas |