‘Frantic Friday’ to see 3 MILLION on roads in ‘pre-Christmas panic’ – use our interactive tool to plan your journey

TODAY will see three million people hit the roads in a frantic pre-Christmas panic.

Friday will be the busiest day of Christmas driving since records began in 2010, the AA said.

George Cracknell Wright

Today will see three million people hit the roads[/caption]

Delays of more than are 45 minutes likely in the evening on the M3 in Surrey and Hampshire between the M25 in west London and the south coast.

There could also be delays on the M25 anticlockwise from the junction with the M1 near Watford to the M23 for Gatwick Airport.

Further north, the M53 northbound from Chester to Liverpool will be worst affected by delays during home-time traffic on Friday.

The AA has issued a string of amber traffic warnings ahead of “Frantic Friday”.

The RAC and INRIX have said roads will be at their most congested between 1pm and 7pm today and over the weekend.

Experts recommend drivers either set off early or later in the evening.

National Highways will remove roadworks on 95% of the roads it manages to ease traffic.

RAC Breakdown’s Alice Simpson said: “Christmas falls on a Wednesday this year.

“Many drivers will be squeezing in their getaway trips right up until the big day itself.

“While the getaway starts to ramp up from Friday, ‘Snarl-up Saturday’ looks particularly challenging as does Christmas Eve.

“Travelling outside peak hours might be the only way drivers miss the worst of the jams.”

The next busiest days are expected to be 21 and 23 December, with 22.7 million drivers on the roads.

Most drivers are staying local and travelling less than 50 miles over the holidays, the AA said.

Planned rail strikes are also likely to add to the misery, Simpson added.

Avanti West Coast staff are set to walk out after Christmas and works.