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Transport and Logistics Network

Travel warning ahead of Christmas as Birmingham city centre photo captures weekend gridlock

Drivers have been warned of Christmas chaos on the roads ahead of the busiest festive days for travel. Dramatic photos captured the gridlock in Birmingham city centre[1] on a Friday night as people questioned 'why not get the bus?' In one image taken near the Mailbox, Navigation Street was shown to be completely backed up with traffic coming out of the city.

The photos, taken on Friday, December 13, captured multiple vehicles queuing outside the Subway. In a second image, shared to X, formerly Twitter, cars can be seen lined up on Hill Street outside one of the Birmingham[2] New Street Station exits. And the travel chaos in the busy heart of the city is only expected to get worse as we near closer to Christmas.

This month, the public have been warned to expect 'record breaking levels' of traffic on the roads. The AA issued amber alerts this December for congestion[4] on three specific days before Christmas[5] Day. The amber warnings have been issued for Friday, December 20, Saturday, December 21, and Monday, December 23.

Hill Street could be seen backed up with traffic on December 13Hill Street could be seen backed up with traffic on December 13

Around three-fifths of journeys[6], or 58 per cent, on this day are expected to be local ones, which will be made within a 50-mile distance.

Only seven per cent of journeys are expected to stretch up to 100 miles.

The AA also highlighted nine motorways that will become congestion hotspots, including two here in the West Midlands.

Motorists have been warned about travelling on the following motorways on Friday, December 20: the M5/M6 interchange in the Black Country, M6 J4 to J11 (M42 to Wolverhampton), M27 J14 to 13 (Southampton to Portsmouth), M4 around Cardiff and Newport, A38 in Somerset, A34 Oxford to Newbury, M4/M5 interchange, M3/M25 interchange and M25 around Heathrow Airport.

References

  1. ^ Birmingham city centre (www.birminghammail.co.uk)
  2. ^ Birmingham (www.birminghammail.co.uk)
  3. ^ Man pleads 'I don't want to die before 29' as he raises cash for last hope (www.birminghammail.co.uk)
  4. ^ congestion (www.birminghammail.co.uk)
  5. ^ Christmas (www.birminghammail.co.uk)
  6. ^ journeys (www.birminghammail.co.uk)

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