In-car computer company Trafficmaster had warned that a combination of roadworks, bad weather and the beginning of the school half-term holiday would throw the road network into chaos.

But a spokesman for AA Roadwatch said: "It's no worse than an ordinary Friday night. I think they were trying to predict the unpredictable."

He said there was traffic congestion on the M25 and on the M4 and M11 out of London but he said it was no worse than normal.

'People are staying indoors'

"Half term is next week for most of the country but that doesn't seem to have made much of an impact. Maybe people are just staying at home because of the dire weather forecasts," he said.

Only minor accidents have been reported and flooding has not affected any UK motorways.

Next week is National Road Safety Week

Safety groups have warned drivers to stay at home or take extra care if they go out over the weekend.

The clocks go back an hour on Saturday night and the nights will be drawing in.

The British Road Federation has seized on the warnings of gridlock to call for a number of shelved road schemes to go ahead.

The group says projects including widening roads and building bypasses, which were put on hold last summer, should be urgently reviewed.

Federation spokesman Jonathon Bullock said: "More than 100 roads schemes were either cancelled or referred to other bodies by the government.

'Stay calm in the queues'

"We urge motorists to stay calm on the road, allow plenty of time for their journeys, but immediately write to their MPs when they eventually get home."

Earlier this week a High Court judge gave the go ahead for the Birmingham Northern Relief Road, a new toll motorway designed to provide an alternative to the permanently-congested M6.

Next week is National Road Safety Week, which is being co-ordinated by the road safety group Brake in a bid to reduce the annual death toll of 3,500.