Families in Stoke-on-Trent and North Staffordshire returning home or going on holiday over Christmas have been warned to expect festive gridlock.

The worst times and days to travel on the country's motorways have been compiled by the RAC and travel information service INRIX.

And it's not good news if your journey involves the M6.

'Frantic Friday' falls on December 21 this year, with Thursday, December 20 also expected to be one of the worst days for congestion - with nearly 5.5 million individual journeys expected to be taken on these two days.

Data from INRIX indicates Wednesday through to Friday will see significant snarl-ups, with drivers travelling on the M25, M6 and M40 all likely to face long delays.

Traffic queueing on the M6

On Thursday, delays of up to THREE HOURS are expected on a section of the northbound M6 between junction 15 for Stoke-on-Trent and junction 25 for Wigan.

Traffic is also likely to peak on Boxing Day when some 6.8 million individual trips will be made, as drivers cross the country to see family and friends.

Want to keep up to date with the latest traffic and travel news?

Each day Stoke-on-Trent Live journalists bring you the latest news on the roads and railways across Stoke-on-Trent, North Staffordshire, South Cheshire and further afield to help keep you on the move.

For the very latest updates on roads including the M6, A500, A50 and more, visit our dedicated traffic and travel news channel here.

We also run a live news feed each weekday, which you can access on our website's homepage from 7am to 9pm from Monday to Friday.

And for more as-we-get-it updates on the roads across the region and beyond, join The Sentinel's traffic and travel Facebook group here.

Any hold-ups are likely to be made worse by extension disruption to the rail network – both planned and unplanned – that could force more people onto the roads.

Strikes are likely to affect routes run by Northern Rail and Network Rail is planning extensive engineering work on lines running into major stations including London Paddington and Victoria.

The full list of motorways expected to be worst affected over the Christmas period

* Routes near Sttoke-on-Trent are highlighted in bold

Wednesday, December 19

  • M25 Clockwise J20 (Hemel Hempstead) to J28 (Chelmsford). Peak congestion from 3.30pm. Predicted travel time 114 minutes. Total delay 79 minutes.
  • M25 Anticlockwise J20 (Hemel Hempstead) to J11 (Woking). Peak congestion time from 3.15pm. Predicted travel time 86 minutes. Total delay 58 minutes.
  • M62 West J27 (Batley) to J18 (Manchester ring road). Peak congestion time from 6.30pm. Predicted travel time 76 minutes. Total delay 48 minutes.
  • M5 South J16 (Thornbury) to J19 (Portishead). Peak congestion time from 5.30pm. Predicted travel time 41 minutes. Total delay 31 minutes.
  • M60 clockwise J6 (Sale) to J19 (Manchester). Peak congestion time from 3pm. Predicted travel time 44 minutes. Total delay 28 minutes.

Thursday, December 20

  • M6 North J15 (Stoke-on-Trent) to J25 (Wigan). Peak congestion time from 12.30pm. Predicted travel time 229 minutes. Total delay 181 minutes.
  • M25 Anticlockwise J20 (Hemel Hempstead) to J11 (Woking). Peak congestion time from 5pm. Predicted travel time 131 minutes. Total delay 86 minutes.
  • M20 East J8 (Lenham) to J13 (Folkestone). Peak congestion time from 7.30pm. Predicted travel time 82 minutes. Total delay 56 minutes.
  • M3 South J6 (Basingstoke) to J13 (Bournemouth). Peak congestion time from 3pm. Predicted travel time 65 minutes. Total delay 44 minutes.
  • M25 Anticlockwise J4 (Bromley) to J30 (London E & C). Peak congestion time from 2.30pm. Predicted travel time 54 minutes. Total delay 39 minutes.

Friday, December 21

  • M40 South (M42) to J8A (Aylesbury). Peak congestion time 2.30pm. Predicted travel time 157 minutes. Total delay 110 minutes.
  • M40 North J8A (Aylesbury) to M42. Peak congestion time 12pm. Predicted travel time 84 minutes. Total delay 35 minutes.
  • M6 South J20 (Macclesfield) to J16 (Newcastle-under-Lyme). Peak congestion time 5.15pm. Predicted travel time 58 minutes. Total delay 33 minutes.
  • M5 North J4A M42 to Ray Hall interchange. Peak congestion time 7.45pm. Predicted travel time 39 minutes. Total delay 21 minutes.
  • M8 West J12 (Riddrie) to J29 (Paisley). Peak congestion time 12.15pm. Predicted travel time 21 minutes. Total delay 8 minutes.

Saturday, December 22

  • M40 North J8A (Aylesbury) to M42. Peak congestion time 5.45pm. Predicted travel time 105 minutes. Total delay 61 minutes.
  • M6 North J15 (Stoke-on-Trent) to J25 (Wigan). Peak congestion time 7.15am. Predicted travel time 104 minutes. Total delay 59 minutes.
  • A303 West Salisbury Road to A350. Peak congestion time 2.45pm. Predicted travel time 46 minutes. Total delay 19 minutes.
  • M6 South J20 (Macclesfield) to J16 (Newcastle-under-Lyme). Peak congestion time 12.30pm. Predicted travel time 43 minutes. Total delay 18 minutes.
  • M5 North J4A (M42) to Ray Hall interchange. Peak congestion time 6pm. Predicted travel time 31 minutes. Total delay 14 minutes.

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