If you’re heading south for the Christmas holidays and want to avoid the traffic, the advice is to leave early.
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Roads and Maritime Services has used holiday traffic data from popular locations on the South Coast over the last two years to predict the best and worst times to be on the road these school holidays.
The big thing that arises out of the data is that leaving before Christmas Day makes a lot of difference.
Travelling through Nowra, Milton, Ulladulla or Batemans Bay before Christmas is largely a breeze.
The worst you can expect are 10-minute delays through Nowra this weekend in the early afternoon, while there’s a similar delay through Milton between 10am and 3pm.
It’s a sad, sad story for those who choose to stay at home until after Boxing Day.
Heading through Nowra of an afternoon from December 27-30 will likely see motorists delayed by as much as half an hour, and 20 minutes through Milton and Ulladulla.
Overall, the peak travel times on the South Coast are between noon and 6pm from December 27-30 and also on January 2 and 3.
At those times delays could climb as high as 60 minutes, depending on your destination.
For those leaving Wollongong, it’s often the short trip through Albion Park Rail that they dread.
According to the RMS, drivers on the Princes Highway through Albion Park Rail can expect delays as high as 45 minutes from this Friday through to January 2.
While these are the peak periods the RMS spokeswoman said delays could be expected from the start of the school holidays through to the new year.
Roads and Maritime Services offers five tips to help you on your holidays.
Plan your trip in advance: Make sure you work out where your stops are and where you intend to pull over and take a break.
Know the busiest roads: This can help because you can look for less congested alternative routes.
Check for roadworks: While work on the Berry to Bomaderry Princes Highway will stop over the Christmas break, it’s worth checking the RMS website in case other unavoidable roadworks are taking place.
Know when holidaymakers are coming: If you live in one of the areas where people will be holidaying being aware of the peak times can help you avoid travelling at those times.
Prepare yourself: Pack water bottles, snacks and games for the kids. And be patient on the road.
Glen Humphries
I'm an award-winning senior journalist with the Illawarra Mercury and have well over two decades' worth of experience in newspapers. I cover the three local councils in the Illawarra for the Mercury, state and federal politics, as well as writing for the TV guide. If I'm not writing, I'm reading.
I'm an award-winning senior journalist with the Illawarra Mercury and have well over two decades' worth of experience in newspapers. I cover the three local councils in the Illawarra for the Mercury, state and federal politics, as well as writing for the TV guide. If I'm not writing, I'm reading.
