The Automobile Association (AA) projects almost 20 million leisure car journeys on 26 December and 22 million on Saturday 27 December, as families visit relatives and bargain-hunters hit post-Christmas sales. Transport analytics firm INRIX identifies red-zone congestion on the M25 (J7-16), the M1 (J16-6) and, most severely, the northbound M6 between junctions 5 and 10A—an artery crucial to freight forwarders serving Northern Ireland and Scotland.
Road pressure will be worsened by a near-total rail blackout: Network Rail has suspended services on key stretches of the West Coast Main Line and at London Waterloo until 4 January. Drivers heading to airports must also detour around the full closure of the M27 between Southampton and Portsmouth, adding up to 40 minutes to journeys to Southampton or Bournemouth airports.
![19.7 Million Boxing-Day Car Journeys to Collide with Rail Engineering Black-outs, AA Warns]()
While employees juggle diversions and timetable gaps, it is also wise to confirm that travel documents are up to date. VisaHQ’s UK portal (https://www.visahq.com/united-kingdom/) offers rapid visa processing, passport renewals and courier delivery, ensuring international staff avoid any last-minute border issues that could turn traffic frustration into missed flights.
For overseas assignees unfamiliar with UK winter motoring, employers are circulating emergency contact numbers, advising tyre and battery checks, and recommending guaranteed-fare taxi bookings to reach flights. Mobility teams should note that some corporate insurance policies exclude cover when official ‘do-not-travel’ warnings are in force.
National Highways has lifted 90 % of roadworks, but breakdown call-outs historically spike by 25 % once traffic rebounds on 2 January. Companies should therefore brief employees on roadside-assistance procedures and build extra time into travel schedules for the first working week of 2026.
Road pressure will be worsened by a near-total rail blackout: Network Rail has suspended services on key stretches of the West Coast Main Line and at London Waterloo until 4 January. Drivers heading to airports must also detour around the full closure of the M27 between Southampton and Portsmouth, adding up to 40 minutes to journeys to Southampton or Bournemouth airports.
While employees juggle diversions and timetable gaps, it is also wise to confirm that travel documents are up to date. VisaHQ’s UK portal (https://www.visahq.com/united-kingdom/) offers rapid visa processing, passport renewals and courier delivery, ensuring international staff avoid any last-minute border issues that could turn traffic frustration into missed flights.
For overseas assignees unfamiliar with UK winter motoring, employers are circulating emergency contact numbers, advising tyre and battery checks, and recommending guaranteed-fare taxi bookings to reach flights. Mobility teams should note that some corporate insurance policies exclude cover when official ‘do-not-travel’ warnings are in force.
National Highways has lifted 90 % of roadworks, but breakdown call-outs historically spike by 25 % once traffic rebounds on 2 January. Companies should therefore brief employees on roadside-assistance procedures and build extra time into travel schedules for the first working week of 2026.
