August bank holiday travel chaos expected as busiest UK roads named

The upcoming August Bank Holiday is set to be one of the busiest travel periods of the year. According to traffic monitoring site Inrix, around 14.4 million motorists will take to the UK's major roads between Thursday (August 21) and Monday, August 25.

The busiest days are set to be Friday (August 22) and Saturday. According to the latest RAC research, around 3.6 million cars will make journeys on each day. Meanwhile, the quietest day is expected to be Sunday (August 24) with just 1.6 million trips expected. Drivers are being urged to leave extra time for their journeys throughout the weekend due to congestion.

RAF traffic spokesman Rod Dennis said the busiest motorway network in the summer months is the Almondsbury interchange at Bristol, where the M5 and M4 meet. He expects it to be particularly busy on Friday afternoon as tens of thousands of drivers head down to Devon and Cornwall for the bank holiday.

Inrix data scientist Josh Kidd has advised drivers to "travel as early or as late in the day as possible in an effort to avoid the worst of the traffic". He said the busiest time on the roads will be between 10am and 1pm on Friday.

Mike Thompson, Chief Operating Officer at Leasing Options, has shared which roads are set to be busiest this weekend. He has also issued advice on avoiding congestion at the UK's traffic hotspots.

A30 in Cornwall

The A30 passes through Cornwall and to Land's End. It is a vital route for local traffic and tourists throughout the busy summer months.

Mr Thompson said: "Cornwall is one of the most popular holiday destinations in the UK, so it’s unsurprising that traffic can become a nightmare. The A30 is notorious for traffic, particularly from Exeter to Land’s End, which runs through key tourist areas like Launceston, Bodmin, and Truro.

"Chiverton Cross Roundabout is historically a major bottleneck, despite recent upgrades, and Carland Cross to Chiverton has also been upgraded to a dual carriageway, but delays do still occur.”

"To avoid the A30 traffic, consider taking the A38 via Dobwalls as an alternative; the A390 and A39 are also good for bypassing some of the busier sections of the A30."

A381 in Devon

The A381 links a number of towns and villages in Devon, including Teignmouth, Kingsteignton, Newton Abbot, Totnes and Salcombe. The section of road near Newton Abbot is notorious for getting particularly busy.

Mr Thompson said: "The A381 is one of the most notorious roads in Devon for its traffic. Links through Teignmouth to Salcombe can be particularly busy with traffic building, due to the road only having single lanes. Newton Abbot town centre also experiences heavy traffic, particularly during key shopping hours or during the weekend.”

"If you want to beat the traffic, try to avoid passing through any of the town centres like Newton Abbot and Totnes to reduce travel times. If you want to head into town while away, make sure to check out any of the public transport options like the bus and trains, which save you having to navigate the roads yourself."

A591 in Lake District

The A591 connects Kendla to Keswick in the Lake District. It is a particularly positive route for tourists as it offers access to scenic villages.

Mr Thompson said: "The Lake District is renowned for its picturesque landscape with its striking mountain face. Tourists travelling through the region will find that the A591, which runs through key tourist towns such as Windermere, Ambleside, Grasmere, and Thirlmere, develops traffic build-ups easily. Ambleside and Windermere town centres can also develop traffic easily, especially during peak season.”

"For travellers looking to avoid Lake District traffic, the A590 is a great alternative to the A591 as it doesn’t pass through any specific tourist towns, but it still has views of the striking Lake District scenery."

A55 in Snowdonia

The A55 is a major road in North Wales. It stretches from Chester to Holyhead and provides access to Snowdonia National Park from the east.

Mr Thompson said: "Also known as Eryri, Snowdonia is home to the tallest peak in England and Wales, and with 1500 miles of public footpaths, the Welsh national park is expected to receive thousands of visitors.

"Despite being a holiday staple location, North Wales only has one dual carriageway into Snowdonia. The A55 runs from Chester to Holyhead and experiences particular bottlenecks in Bangor and Conwy.”

"To avoid this type of congestion, the A494 is a scenic alternative which runs through the picturesque towns of Bala and Ruthin; this route bypasses the popular coastal areas which can become congested with caravans and other holidaymakers."

A1 in Northumberland

The A1 in Northumberland is the longest numbered road in the UK. It gets very busy during peak hours and holidays.

Mr Thompson said: "Tourism in Northumberland is growing, with over 10.5 million visitors in the last year.[3] However, people don’t just visit Northumberland; the county is a major north-south travel route, which is key to connecting London to Edinburgh. The road has also been subject to ongoing maintenance and resurfacing projects, which have led to lane closures and traffic signals.”

"The A696 and A68 for north-south travel is the easiest way to avoid any congested areas of the A1, particularly during peak tourist season."