RAC warns 'weekend of woe' ahead as millions take to motorways for summer holidays
As many families set to travel during the summer holidays, the RAC has suggested drivers give themselves plenty of time and plan their routes to avoid traffic.
The RAC has warned that motorists could spend longer than they planned on the roads during the weekend, which is set to be one of the busiest times of the year.
With many schools having broken up for summer, a large number of families are set to see their loved ones or go on a holiday, which the organisation stated may lead to heavy traffic on both Saturday 27 and Sunday 28 July 2024.
Alice Simpson, spokesperson for RAC Breakdown, suggested that families planning on travelling during the weekend should give themselves plenty of time, setting off as early as possible to avoid delays and frustration.
She advised: "Anyone heading off on holiday on Saturday or Sunday should expect a weekend of woe on the roads with journeys taking longer than normal. If you can't set off really early, then it's highly likely you'll be sitting in traffic for quite some time.
"Our research suggests this year's getaway is set to be busier than average, possibly due to the UK inflation rate having slowed, giving people a bit more confidence to spend. However, with our recent bad weather causing an increase in international travel bookings, queues to major airports should not be underestimated."
In particular, the RAC predicts that Saturday 27 July 2024 is expected to be the busiest day for the motorway network, with around 3.6 million journeys set to take place.
The organisation also expects to see 2.9 million trips occur the following day, and a further four million to take place on either day of the weekend, a total of 13.9 million potential vehicles on the roads.
As a result, the UK could face the second-busiest holiday weekend since 2015, with only 2022 being busier in recent years. During that weekend, a staggering 18.8 million families took to the roads to take advantage of the good weather and lack of travel restrictions imposed during the Covid pandemic for the past two years.
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Bob Pishue, motoring expert at the transport analytics firm INRIX, urged drivers to keep themselves informed of any traffic issues ahead and during their journey.
He added: "Drivers should expect long queues on major roads when heading to and from their destinations during this summer getaway. To receive the most up-to-date travel information available, they should monitor news outlets and use the RAC's route planner to receive live traffic updates.
"Being flexible with your route - whether it's the time you leave or a journey that's longer in miles with fewer delays - could also reduce the stress of being held up and make for a more enjoyable trip."
To help drivers steer clear of frustrating traffic jams, both the RAC and INRIX suggested that motorists should try to avoid travelling between 12pm and 5pm on Friday 26 and Saturday 27 July and between 11am and 1pm on Sunday 28 July.
Where possible, motorists should also stay away from any major airport or ferry port, where many other tourists will likely be heading to for their holiday.
Finally, INRIX also recommended that drivers give a wide berth to the M5 southbound between junctions 15 and 23, which is predicted to have the worst traffic of the weekend, with many planning to use it in order to reach Devon and Cornwall.
