Holiday hell predicted this Friday as pre-Christmas traffic DOUBLES

Extensive disruption to the rail network will cause chaos on UK roads this Christmas - with experts predicting a heady mix of leisure and commuter traffic resulting in 'frantic Friday' on 21 December.

Data from the RAC and travel analytics experts INRIX reveals that more than 2.8 million leisure journeys are expected this Friday. That's on top of normal commuter traffic and considerably higher than last Christmas, which saw 1.25 million leisure journeys made on the Friday before Christmas.

INRIX says that Thursday 20th December will see the biggest increase in traffic compared to a normal day. With most drivers setting out mid-morning, traffic will become heavier over the course of the afternoon and stay congested into the evening.

The roads are expected to get busier over Christmas, too - peaking on Boxing Day, with 6.8 million individual car trips being predicted as people travel across the country to visit friends and family.

Strikes are expected on rail routes run by Northern Rail and South Western Railway, while Network Rail is planning extensive engineering work on lines running into major stations including London Paddington and Victoria.

The data also reveals certain 'pinch points' expected on the road network, with one section of the northbound M6 expected to see delays of up to three hours on a section of the M6 north of Stoke-on-Trent on Thursday 20 December.

Drivers on the M40 heading south from the M42 are likely to be face delays of nearly two hours on Friday - with the RAC advising motorists to travel after 7.30pm.

To avoid disaster during the busy festive period, the RAC is telling drivers to check their cars before long journeys.

"A single breakdown can bring some roads to a grinding halt, slowing down the Christmas getaway for all of us," said the RAC's patrol of the year, Mark Souster.

"A few moments spent checking things like fuel, oil, coolant and screenwash levels and the condition and pressure of tyres could make the difference between a stress-free journey and one plagued by a breakdown.”