Britain is enduring one of its busiest Christmas getaway days on record today, as millions of people attempt to reach friends and family by road, rail and air. Volumes are so high that key motorways such as the M25 and M5 are seeing long tailbacks, while rail hubs and airports are reporting packed concourses, extended queues and widespread delays.

A combination of record traffic demand, collision-related closures and heavy engineering work on the rail network is pushing more people onto already stressed routes and leaving many travelers facing uncertain arrival times.

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Record-breaking Christmas travel demand

Forecasters from motoring groups had warned in advance that Christmas 2025 was on course to be the busiest festive travel period since comparable records began.

The RAC has estimated that 37.5 million leisure journeys would be made by car between the middle of last week and Christmas Eve, an increase of more than eight million on last year’s figure. Surveys suggest that millions are choosing to drive rather than rely on rail, partially because of planned engineering closures and concerns over disruption on key intercity routes.

Today’s surge comes on top of a weekend that already brought heavy congestion around major cities and pinch points such as the Port of Dover and Scottish trunk routes. The AA has projected that more than 20 million vehicles could be on the move over the peak period, with Christmas Eve itself expected to be among the single busiest days for getaway journeys.

With Christmas Day falling on a Thursday this year, the spread of travel has been slightly more even across the week, but that has not been enough to prevent flashpoints of gridlock where incidents and roadworks coincide with getaway traffic.

Transport analytics experts say the pattern of demand reflects a broader shift since the pandemic, with more people prepared to drive longer distances for short breaks and family visits, and with hybrid work allowing some to set off earlier in the week.

This has diluted but not eliminated peak pressure around the traditional getaway days, instead creating a more sustained period of intense use on the UK’s strategic road network.

M25 and M5 at a standstill after crashes and closures

On the roads, the worst of today’s disruption has centered on two of Britain’s busiest motorways: the M25 around London and the M5 in the South West. A serious collision on the M25 near Heathrow led to a full closure around Junction 14 this morning, shutting the exit for Terminals 4 and 5 and leaving long queues in both directions.

National Highways advised drivers heading for the airport to stay on the M25 to Junction 15 and divert via the M4, but aerial images and traffic camera feeds showed queues building rapidly as the morning peak merged with getaway traffic.

The disruption around Heathrow was compounded by delays on the nearby M4, where a separate incident brought traffic to a crawl on one of the main routes linking London with South Wales and the west of England.

With both corridors heavily used by holidaymakers and airport traffic, journey times quickly lengthened, and some drivers reported moving only a few miles in an hour. Recovery work and debris clearance continued through late morning, with officials warning that residual delays were likely to persist well into the afternoon.

Further west, the M5 has once again lived up to its reputation as one of Britain’s most problematic holiday routes. A crash near the Devon border between Cullompton and Exeter forced a complete closure of the southbound carriageway for a time after a vehicle struck the central reservation.

Motorway cameras showed long, static tailbacks stretching for several junctions, as emergency services and traffic officers worked to secure the scene and remove damaged vehicles. The affected stretch is a familiar pinch point each Christmas, as it funnels traffic towards Devon and Cornwall at the same time as local commuting and freight movements.

Motorway roadworks lifted but bottlenecks remain

National Highways has attempted to ease the strain by lifting more than a thousand miles of planned roadworks on motorways and major A-roads for the core Christmas period.

Restrictions were removed or paused on key sections of the M25, M1, M4, M6 and other routes in an effort to keep as many running lanes open as possible while traffic is at its heaviest. In theory, this should provide some extra capacity and reduce the risk of lengthy tailbacks caused purely by narrowed carriageways and temporary speed limits.

Despite that intervention, several unavoidable projects and emergency works remain in place, including a major 10-day closure on sections of the M27 in Hampshire to allow an underpass installation near Fareham. In areas where schemes could not safely be paused, drivers are being warned to expect slower speeds and potential congestion, particularly where contraflow systems or lane drops are in operation.

The combination of heavy flows and unfamiliar layouts can increase the risk of collisions, and officials have repeatedly urged motorists to observe limits and keep sufficient distance.

Analysts note that even with most planned works lifted, Britain’s motorway network is operating very close to its effective capacity on days like today. Any incident involving a closure of one or more lanes can quickly produce long queues that take hours to disperse, especially on orbital and radial routes around major cities.

That dynamic has been visible around London, Birmingham and Manchester throughout the day, with relatively minor shunts leading to significant knock-on delays.

Rail engineering works push more travelers onto the roads

While the road network bears the brunt of today’s pressure, rail passengers are also facing a difficult festive period as extensive engineering works take place across key intercity and commuter routes.

Network Rail has scheduled major upgrades and renewals on parts of the Midland Main Line, the South Western main line and other strategic corridors, with some closures already in effect and others due to start from the end of Christmas Day and continue into the New Year.

On many routes, long-distance services are running to reduced or amended timetables, with fewer trains per hour and some journeys diverted via slower lines. In some cases, replacement buses are in operation where tracks are completely closed.

While operators argue that the quiet days around Christmas remain the best time to undertake disruptive works, the scale of today’s getaway demand means that even modest capacity reductions can result in crowded trains and standing passengers on popular flows to and from London, the Midlands and the North.

Passenger watchdogs and rail unions have warned that the timing of projects, combined with the lack of alternative routes on some corridors, inevitably pushes some people to consider driving instead.

Many leisure travelers who might otherwise have used rail report that the prospect of multiple changes, bus replacements and uncertain timetables has tipped their decision in favor of the car, despite the risk of congestion. That shift helps explain why motoring organizations are recording such sharp increases in forecast road journeys compared with recent years.

Airports and stations struggle with Christmas crowds

At Britain’s major airports, today has brought long queues at check-in, security and border control as airlines work through one of their busiest flying days of the year. Heathrow, Gatwick, Manchester and Stansted have all reported high passenger volumes, with some terminals reaching near-capacity occupancy during the early morning wave of departures.

While there have been relatively few reports of severe flight delays, the sheer weight of numbers has lengthened processing times, particularly for families with luggage and passengers unfamiliar with procedures.

Airport operators have previously warned that their own peaks would fall slightly earlier in the week, but the spread of school holidays and work patterns means substantial numbers are still flying out today.

Staff have been drafted in from back-office roles to help manage queues and direct passengers, while some airports have opened additional security lanes for the Christmas period. Even so, travelers are being urged to arrive well ahead of their scheduled departure time and to have documents and cabin baggage ready to speed up checks.

Major rail stations are seeing comparable scenes. London Euston, King’s Cross, Paddington and Waterloo have all experienced busy concourses and crowded departure boards as people head for long-distance trains to Scotland, the North of England, Wales and the South West.

At smaller regional hubs, particularly where engineering works are diverting or terminating services early, station staff are having to manage tightly packed platforms and ensure safe boarding in cold and sometimes wet conditions.

Weather, safety and advice for delayed travelers

Weather has so far been less disruptive than in some previous years, although bouts of rain, low cloud and patchy fog are combining with darkness to make driving more hazardous in places.

Motoring bodies are reminding drivers to reduce speed where visibility is poor, allow extra stopping distance on wet roads and ensure that lights and wipers are in good working order before setting off. Cold temperatures overnight can also bring icy patches on untreated roads, especially on rural routes that feed into the main motorway network.

Breakdown providers report a seasonal spike in callouts, with flat batteries, tyre failures and fuel issues among the most common causes of stranded vehicles. With traffic densities so high, a single breakdown in a live lane can have outsized effects on journey times.

Drivers are being advised to complete basic checks on oil, coolant and tyre pressures, to carry warm clothing and snacks, and to keep mobile phones charged in case of long delays. For those traveling with children, experts suggest planning extra stops and having games or entertainment available to reduce stress if journeys take longer than expected.

Officials also emphasize that anyone stuck in significant congestion should remain in their vehicle unless advised otherwise by police or traffic officers, and should avoid attempting to turn around or drive up hard shoulders unless specifically directed.

On the rail network, passengers are being asked to check journeys carefully before departing, to allow additional time for connections and to be prepared for standing room only on some departures as the afternoon peak builds.

What today’s disruption reveals about Britain’s transport network

Today’s scenes of congestion underscore the fragility of Britain’s transport networks when faced with simultaneous spikes in demand across road, rail and air. Even with most planned motorway roadworks lifted and additional staff deployed at airports and stations, the system has struggled to absorb record numbers of travelers.

Any single point of failure, such as a motorway crash or a signal failure on a key rail artery, quickly reverberates across the network and can add hours to individual journeys.

Transport planners and industry figures have long argued that the concentration of travel around a handful of peak days is one of the biggest challenges in managing Christmas demand. Some have floated ideas such as staggering school holiday dates, encouraging employers to offer more flexible office closures or promoting off-peak travel through pricing incentives.

For now, however, much of the burden falls on individuals to plan carefully, build in contingency time and consider alternative routes or modes where feasible.

In the longer term, the debate over infrastructure capacity is likely to intensify. Population growth, changing work patterns and climate pressures all point to rising demand for reliable and resilient transport links, particularly on corridors that serve both everyday commuting and seasonal leisure travel.

Today’s record-breaking traffic and crowded trains provide a vivid reminder of how close to the limits the current system can be pushed when millions all decide to move at once.

FAQ

Q1. Why are Britain’s roads so congested today?
Traffic levels are being driven by record Christmas getaway demand, with motoring groups estimating tens of millions of leisure journeys in the week before Christmas. Many people are choosing to drive because of rail engineering works and the flexibility of traveling by car, which is concentrating exceptional volumes onto key motorways.

Q2. Which motorways are worst affected?
The heaviest disruption today is on the M25 around London, particularly near Heathrow, and on the M5 through the South West, where crashes and residual delays have produced long queues. Other busy stretches include parts of the M4, M1, M6 and major approaches to cities and airports.

Q3. How are rail engineering works contributing to delays?
Extensive Christmas and New Year engineering projects have reduced capacity or closed sections of several main lines, forcing some services to run less frequently or use slower diversionary routes. That is pushing more travelers to consider road instead of rail and is also creating crowding and altered timetables for those who do take the train.

Q4. Are flights being cancelled because of the disruption?
Airports are busy but most disruption is currently on the ground rather than in the air. While there may be some delays to individual flights due to knock-on effects or weather, the main issues for passengers are long queues at check-in and security and slower journeys to and from airports because of road congestion.

Q5. How long are the delays likely to last?
The most intense disruption is expected to continue through the afternoon and early evening as getaway traffic mixes with commuter flows. Once incidents on the M25 and M5 are fully cleared, queues should gradually ease, but high volumes mean some routes may remain slower than normal into late evening.

Q6. What can drivers do to reduce the risk of getting stuck?
Motoring organizations advise checking routes before departure, traveling outside the busiest mid-afternoon window where possible, and allowing plenty of extra time. Ensuring the vehicle is roadworthy, keeping fuel levels high and carrying warm clothing, water and snacks can also make any unexpected delay easier to cope with.

Q7. Is public transport a better option today?
On some corridors, rail or coach services may offer a more predictable journey than driving, but capacity is also stretched and engineering works mean some lines are closed or reduced. Anyone considering public transport should check live timetables and be prepared for crowded services and limited seating.

Q8. Are there particular times today that are best avoided?
Transport analysts suggest that late morning through early evening is likely to be the most congested period on major roads, especially on orbital motorways and routes to holiday destinations. Very early departures or later night-time travel generally offer a better chance of lighter traffic, though conditions can still vary by region.

Q9. How are authorities responding to the situation?
National Highways has lifted most planned roadworks on strategic roads, redeployed traffic officers to known hotspots and issued diversion advice around major incidents. On rail, operators and Network Rail are running amended timetables and deploying additional staff at busy stations to manage passenger flows.

Q10. What should travelers do if their plans are disrupted?
Officials recommend staying informed via traffic and travel updates, contacting transport operators if connections are at risk and considering alternative routes or departure times where possible. Keeping family or hosts updated, remaining patient and prioritizing safety over speed are key messages as Britain works through one of its most demanding travel days of the year.