Cancel your great Christmas getaway! 23.7 million drivers issued with warning to not hit roads until after 7pm as offices and schools shut - with London train stations filling up as commuters race to

Britain's drivers were urged not to travel on major routes until this evening to avoid the worst Christmas holiday traffic as this year's getaway chaos began in earnest. London Waterloo station is busy today as many passengers take trains home for Christmas Christmas getaway traffic was increasing in volume on the A282 Dartford crossing approach in Kent Travellers on the M25 motorway this morning after the AA warned drivers of very busy roads Air passengers queue for check-in at Manchester Airport's Terminal 1 this morning Passengers arrive at the check-in desks as London Gatwick Airport for flights this afternoon Your browser does not support iframes. Passengers walk through London Heathrow Airport today as they fly away for Christmas Passengers queue up at Bristol Airport this morning as the Christmas getaway begins Passengers arrive at the check-in desks as London Gatwick Airport for flights this afternoon Passengers at London Heathrow Airport this morning as they arrive for Christmas Air passengers queue for check-in at Manchester Airport's Terminal 1 this morning The ski resorts of France, Austria, Switzerland and Scandinavia lead the way for holidaymakers seeking snow, while the most popular city break destinations include Amsterdam, Budapest, Dublin, Paris, Prague and Vienna. Rail passengers walk through London Waterloo station as many head home for Christmas Major rail closures for Christmas 2024 London Liverpool Street : Closed from December 25 until January 2 : Closed from December 25 until January 2 London Paddington : Closed between December 27 and 29 : Closed between December 27 and 29 No direct services between Crewe and Liverpool ; reduced service between Crewe and Manchester: December 28 until January 3 ; reduced service between and Manchester: December 28 until January 3 Cambridge area: CrossCountry, Greater Anglia, Great Northern and Thameslink services disrupted between December 27 and January 5 area:,, and services disrupted between December 27 and January 5 Harpenden to London St Pancras : No trains between December 21 and 29 to : No trains between December 21 and 29 Heathrow Express : No service between December 25 and 29 : No service between December 25 and 29 Great Western Railway : Diverted to/from Euston, or stopping/starting at Reading or Ealing Broadway Services in the Cambridge area will be disrupted between December 27 and January 5, affecting CrossCountry, Greater Anglia, Great Northern and Thameslink. Traffic on the A102 Blackwall Tunnel approach in Greenwich, South East London, today The AA traffic hotspots for Christmas 2024 Friday, December 20 M4/M5 interchange M3/M25 interchange M25 around Heathrow Airport M5/M6 interchange M6 J4-11 M27 J14-13 M4 around Cardiff and Newport A38 in Somerset A34 Oxford to Newbury Saturday, December 21 M1 around Meadowhall M25 around Bluewater M60 around the Trafford Centre A34 Oxford to Newbury M62 Simister Interchange Monday, December 23 M1 J10-15a M42 J3A-J8 A64 around York A303 around Stonehenge M5 J16-25 A34 Oxford to Newbury The AA said Christmas Day falling on a Wednesday may help spread festive journeys this year, but could also means more days of long delays as many people will embark on a getaway from work today followed by last-minute shopping trips and visits to friends and family.