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Millions of drivers will start their holiday journeys from today, with motor agencies warning of a “pre-Christmas panic” on the roads and record levels of traffic.

Data from the RAC and travel analytics company INRIX estimates 29.3 million journeys will be made by motorists in the run-up to Christmas Day. About half of these – at 14.3 million – are set to be made over the weekend.

After some 5.7 million journeys on Wednesday and Thursday, the RAC said today will be “frantic Friday” on the roads with an expected 3 million trips.

In a bid “to help make journeys smoother”, National Highways customer service director Andrew Butterfield said the agency will remove roadworks on 95% of the roads they manage.

Meanwhile, the AA has issued several amber traffic warnings and says a record 23.7 million drivers are expected to make journeys today.

Data from an AA survey has claimed most drivers are staying local and travelling less than 50 miles over the holidays, but that Friday will still be the busiest day of Christmas driving since their records began in 2010.

The next busiest days are expected to be 21 and 23 December, with 22.7 million drivers on the roads.

File pic: PA
Image:
The AA says a record 23.7 million drivers will be on the roads today. File pic: PA

Friday afternoon worst time to drive

According to INRIX data, traffic jams are set to strike on many of England’s motorways, with delays of more than 45 minutes likely in the evening on the M3 in Surrey and Hampshire between the M25 in west London and the south coast, and on the M25 anticlockwise from the junction with the M1 near Watford to the M23 for Gatwick Airport.

Further north, the M53 northbound from Chester to Liverpool will be worst affected by delays during home-time traffic on Friday.

The RAC and INRIX have said roads will be at their most congested between 1pm and 7pm today and over the weekend, and recommend drivers either set off early or later in the evening.

RAC Breakdown spokesperson Alice Simpson added: “Our research suggests that with Christmas falling on a Wednesday this year, many drivers will be squeezing in their getaway trips right up until the big day itself.

“While the getaway starts to ramp up from Friday, ‘Snarl-up Saturday’ looks particularly challenging as does Christmas Eve. Travelling outside peak hours might be the only way drivers miss the worst of the jams.”

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She also noted that “planned rail strikes are also likely to add to the misery”, as Avanti West Coast staff are set to strike after Christmas.

Railway engineering works will also take place at Liverpool Street, Paddington, and St Pancras over Christmas and New Year, impacting holiday commuters.

It comes after the Met Office issued yellow weather warnings in the lead up to Christmas, with parts of Scotland expecting to see very strong westerly winds on Saturday.

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Labour MP Dan Norris arrested on suspicion of rape and child sex offences

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Labour MP Dan Norris arrested on suspicion of rape and child sex offences

Labour MP Dan Norris has been arrested on suspicion of rape and child sex offences.

A Labour Party spokesperson said: “Dan Norris MP was immediately suspended by the Labour Party upon being informed of his arrest.

“We cannot comment further while the police investigation is ongoing.”

Police said a man in his 60s had been arrested on Friday on suspicion of sexual offences against a girl, rape, child abduction and misconduct in a public office.

Sky News has contacted Mr Norris for comment.

Mr Norris, 65, defeated Jacob Rees-Mogg to win the new seat of North East Somerset and Hanham in last year’s general election.

He has also lost the party whip in the House of Commons and has stepped down from his role as chair of the League Against Cruel Sports.

Avon and Somerset Police said in a statement: “In December 2024, we received a referral from another police force relating to alleged non-recent child sex offences having been committed against a girl.

“Most of the offences are alleged to have occurred in the 2000s, but we’re also investigating an alleged offence of rape from the 2020s.

“An investigation, led by officers within Operation Bluestone, our dedicated rape and serious sexual assault investigation team, remains ongoing and at an early stage.

“The victim is being supported and given access to any specialist help or support she needs.

“A man, aged in his 60s, was arrested on Friday (April 4) on suspicion of sexual offences against a girl (under the Sexual Offences Act 1956), rape (under the Sexual Offences Act 2003), child abduction and misconduct in a public office. He’s been released on conditional bail for enquiries to continue.

“This is an active and sensitive investigation, so we’d respectfully ask people not to speculate on the circumstances so our enquiries can continue unhindered.”

Mr Norris first entered Parliament when Tony Blair came to power in 1997 and served as the Wansdyke MP until 2010.

He was an assistant whip under Mr Blair and served as a junior minister under Gordon Brown.

Mr Norris has also been West of England mayor since 2021 but is due to step down ahead of May’s local elections.

A spokesman for the League Against Cruel Sports, a UK-based animal welfare charity which campaigns to end sports such as fox hunting and game bird shooting, confirmed he had stepped down from his role.

“The charity cannot comment further while an investigation is ongoing,” a statement said.

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Jaguar Land Rover to ‘pause’ US shipments over Donald Trump tariffs

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Jaguar Land Rover to 'pause' US shipments over Donald Trump tariffs

Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) has said it will “pause” shipments to the US as the British car firm works to “address the new trading terms” of Donald Trump’s tariffs.

The US president has introduced a 25% levy on all foreign cars imported into the country, which came into force on Thursday.

JLR, one of the country’s biggest carmakers, exported about 38,000 cars to the US in the third quarter of 2024 – almost equal to the amount sold to the UK and the EU combined.

Follow live updates: Trump’s baseline 10% tariff kicks in

In a statement on Saturday, a spokesperson for the company behind the Jaguar, Land Rover and Range Rover brands said: “The USA is an important market for JLR’s luxury brands.

“As we work to address the new trading terms with our business partners, we are taking some short-term actions including a shipment pause in April, as we develop our mid- to longer-term plans.”

The company released a statement last week before Mr Trump announced a “baseline” 10% tariff on goods from around the world, which kicked in on Saturday morning, on what he called “liberation day”.

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JLR reassured customers its business was “resilient” and “accustomed to changing market conditions”.

“Our priorities now are delivering for our clients around the world and addressing these new US trading terms,” the firm said.

Trading across the world has been hit by Mr Trump’s tariff announcement at the White House on Wednesday.

All but one stock on the FTSE 100 fell on Friday – with Rolls-Royce, banks and miners among those to suffer the sharpest losses.

Read more: A red wall on Wall Street – but Trump seems to believe it will work out

Cars are the top product exported from the UK to the US, with exports worth £8.3bn in the year to the end of September 2024, according to data from the Office for National Statistics.

For UK carmakers, the US is the second largest export market behind the European Union.

Industry groups have previously warned the tariffs will force firms to rethink where they trade, while a report by thinktank the Institute for Public Policy Research said more than 25,000 car manufacturing jobs in the UK could be at risk.

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Two people die after caravan fire at holiday park in Lincolnshire

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Two people die after caravan fire at holiday park in Lincolnshire

Two people have died following a fire at a caravan site near Skegness, Lincolnshire Police have said.

In a statement, officers said they were called at 3.53am on Saturday to a report of a blaze at Golden Beach Holiday Park in the village of Ingoldmells.

Fire and rescue crews attended the scene, and two people were found to have died.

They were reported to be a 10-year-old girl and a 48-year-old man.

The force said the victims’ next of kin have been informed and will be supported by specially trained officers.

Officers are trying to establish the exact cause of the blaze.

“We are at the very early stages of our investigation and as such we are keeping an open mind,” the force said.

Two fire crews remain at the scene.

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