The Know Daily - Thursday 21 December 2023

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A man from east London has completed 365 marathons in 365 days - a seriously good run! Charity worker Aaron Robinson sets off every morning at 3am, accompanied by his (truly adorable) border collies River and Inca, raising money for the non-profit Hope for Justice.

❄️ Driving home for Christmas 

This weekend will be the busiest time on UK roads over the festive period, drivers have been told. 

That’s to be expected, right?
Right. With Christmas falling on a Monday, it’s no surprise that lots of us are planning to travel over the weekend.

Traffic analysts have predicted that roads will be 20% busier than last year, the BBC reported this morning, with 21 million trips expected before 25 December. Friday will be the busiest day, with the M25, M1, M6 and M4 particularly impacted. 

Is there any way to avoid queues?
Inrix, which analyses transport data, has advised travellers to “avoid peak commuting hours” and “use traffic apps to minimise holiday travel traffic frustrations”. 

The roads are expected to be at their busiest between 12pm and 2pm, so motorists are advised to travel before 11am or after 6pm on Friday or Saturday. 

What about trains (and planes)? 
Engineering works and line closures are planned across the UK for the festive period, with London Paddington closed between Christmas Eve and 27 December. Check out this guide to see whether your journey will be impacted.

Airports also expect “one of their busiest periods”, said The Guardian, with Heathrow anticipating 6.5 million passengers to travel through the airport this month. 

What else is going on?
The “unsettled weather forecast” over the next few days could lead to “additional delays” on Britain’s road, AA, the breakdown provider, has warned. The Met Office has issued weather warnings for high winds in the north of England and Scotland today, with the AA telling drivers to be “very cautious”. 

Nevertheless, it’s not all bad news on the weather front. A Met Office spokesperson told The Independent that they can say “with a high degree of confidence” that it will be a white Christmas this year - although sadly not everywhere in the UK.