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Christmas getaway: Travellers warned over 'frantic Friday' Christmas getaway: Travellers warned over 'frantic Friday'
(about 3 hours later)
People travelling around the UK in time for Christmas are being warned to expect delays in parts of the country. Drivers, rail passengers and coach travellers are being warned to expect delays in some parts of the UK, as many begin their Christmas getaway.
The RAC says the Christmas getaway will combine with the usual commuter traffic as well as rail disruption to create a "Frantic Friday" on Britain's roads. The RAC says Christmas travellers will combine with the usual commuter traffic as well as rail disruption to create a "frantic Friday" on Britain's roads.
One rail company has warned of some cancellations to services on Friday. Virgin Trains West Coast has warned of some cancellations to services.
Highways England says almost 400 miles of road works have been suspended over the festive period, but drivers should still expect "busy road conditions". Highways England has suspended 400 miles of roadworks, but it says "busy road conditions" should be expected.
It is urging motorists to check their vehicles before setting off.It is urging motorists to check their vehicles before setting off.
A spokesman for Highways England, Stuart Thompson, said "Some families have already reached their Christmas destinations, but we are expecting higher volumes of traffic on Friday.
"We're urging people to make sure their cars are ready for the journey - check the oil, water and tyres. Most importantly, make sure you have enough fuel.""We're urging people to make sure their cars are ready for the journey - check the oil, water and tyres. Most importantly, make sure you have enough fuel."
The RAC says it expects traffic to peak between 4pm and 8pm on Friday. Traffic is expected to peak between 16:00 and 20:00 GMT, the RAC says.
Virgin Trains says strikes which had been due to affect the West Coast mainline have now been called off. The company said it would try to operate a full service on Friday, but there would be some cancellations. Traffic data company Inrix has predicted the worst delays to be on the M1 northbound between junctions 11 and 22, peaking at about 11:00 GMT, and southbound between junctions 19 and 12, peaking at about 12:15.
Around 260 engineering projects, including track maintenance, will cause problems elsewhere. It also predicts delays all along the M1 in Northern Ireland, peaking at about 17:00 GMT, and the A720 eastbound in Scotland.
In England, the "roadworks embargo" will be in place on motorways and major A roads from 06:00 GMT on Friday until 00:01 on 2 January. Virgin Trains says strikes which had been due to affect the West Coast mainline have been called off. The company said it would try to operate a full service on Friday, but there would be some cancellations.
The Welsh Government says no road works will take place in Wales over Christmas and the New Year other than essential or emergency work. Merseyrail workers are striking for 24 hours, disrupting services in and around Liverpool, in a long-running dispute over the role of guards.
There will be no trains running on the Ellesmere Port or Hunts Cross lines and some stations may be closed. Most trains on other routes will run between 07:00 and 19:00 GMT.
In England, a "roadworks embargo" will be in place on motorways and major A roads until 00:01 on 2 January, meaning lanes will be open and temporary speed restrictions lifted as roadworks are paused.
However, 27 sets of roadworks covering a total of 122 miles are staying in place because it would be too dangerous to lift them.
The Welsh Government said no roadworks would take place in Wales over Christmas and the New Year, other than essential or emergency work.
Scottish Transport Minister Humza Yousaf said that while mostly mild weather was expected in the coming days, there were large stockpiles of grit to cope with any icy conditions.Scottish Transport Minister Humza Yousaf said that while mostly mild weather was expected in the coming days, there were large stockpiles of grit to cope with any icy conditions.
Coach operator National Express says it is increasing the number of services from locations such as Bournemouth, Cardiff, Leeds, Edinburgh, Portsmouth, Bristol, Glasgow and Manchester. Coach operator National Express said it was running its biggest Christmas schedule yet, increasing the number of services from locations such as Bournemouth, Cardiff, Leeds, Edinburgh, Portsmouth, Bristol, Glasgow and Manchester.
How journeys have changed Meanwhile, the Association of British Travel Agents said 4.5m people were expected to travel abroad in the coming days.
Back in the 1950s, less than 30% of journeys made in Britain were by car but by 1970 this had risen to three-quarters of all distances travelled being by private vehicle. It said airports, ports and international train stations would be exceptionally busy and that people should begin their journeys earlier than usual.
Despite the roads being busier, car journeys have become safer - helped by the introduction of seatbelts in the 1980s. About 260 rail engineering projects, including track maintenance, will cause problems elsewhere later on.
In 1966, more than 7,900 people died on the roads in England, Scotland and Wales but that figure is now under 2,000.
So the shift in our love (and affordability!) of cars is clear but we're also spending more than we used to on public transport.
What we spend on motoring has increased by 9% over the last 10 years but the cash we part with on public transport has risen by 74%.
Read more things you might not know about Britain's roads here
On Thursday, the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh took the train from London to King's Lynn station in Norfolk, for their Christmas break at Sandringham.
Philip was carrying some holiday reading - a copy of Michelangelo: The Complete Paintings, Sculptures and Architecture by Frank Zollner - which was published earlier this year.
Meanwhile, the Association of British Travel Agents (Abta) says 4.5m people are expected to travel abroad in the coming days.
It says airports, ports and international train stations will be exceptionally busy and that people should begin their journeys earlier than usual.