A MOTORING expert has revealed the exact date to travel this Christmas to save big on fuel.
Sam Sheehan, the motoring editor for Cinch, shared the best time to beat the Christmas rush and save yourself money in the process.
GettyA motoring expert has shared the best date and time to start out on your Christmas journey’s this year[/caption]
Sam revealed that timing your journey correctly could see you averaging as much as 36mph around major cities like London instead of crawling along in jams.
He identified December 18 as the best date for Brits to set out, with journey time slashed for residents of Bristol, Manchester, Cardiff, Leeds and London.
And he added that the same day is best to return home to Coventry, Newcastle, Reading, Glasgow or Swansea.
This is largely due to a quirk of the calendar meaning that the big day falls on a weekend this year.
The AA issued a warning just this week over the days that are likely to see the worst of the traffic, focussing on the weekend of December 23.
However, not only did Sam share the best date for travel, but he also revealed the exact time drivers should start their journeys – and it’s one for the night owls.
Those hitting the roads at a brisk 5am on December 18 are likely to see the best results.
Sam said: “Based on our findings, across the whole of the UK, the least congested time to travel between December 18 and December 24 is likely to be Monday 18 at 5am.
“If you’re a Reading resident, you’ll be happy to know that leaving the town on Monday morning is predicted to be a more seamless experience than in any other location in the UK.
“Alternatively, the early mornings of Tuesday 19 and Thursday 21 are a good option, too.”
Avoiding the heavy traffic means less time sitting idle in long queues, allowing motorists to save valuable fuel and, therefore, cash.
It comes after an engine expert explained the “ten-second rule” that could save you from being stranded by increasing fuel economy.
Meanwhile, a driving instructor shared a handy tip to make your downshifts smoother than ever.