It’s being predicted that te extra-long Jubilee bank holiday weekend will see drivers make an estimated 19.5 million leisure journeys by car.
The RAC says that in the region of 3.6 million leisure trips by car are expected to be made on the Friday bank holiday, based on a study of 1,460 drivers’ travel plans. It has found day-trippers will combine with families making their way back home at the end of the half term break.
It predicts bank holiday Thursday is likely to be the next busiest day (3.3 million) followed by both Saturday and the Wednesday preceding the bank holidays (2.6 million each day). An additional 5 million will use their cars at some point over the full five days, boosting the overall numbers of cars on the roads.
The RAC quotes transport analysts INRIX, which predicts that traffic conditions could be worst in the mornings of the bank holidays and advise drivers to set off as early as possible or delay their trips until much later in the day to skip any jams. The M25, southbound M5, A303 and A720 Edinburgh city bypass are all highlighted as roads to watch for potential delays.
Separate RAC research suggests that more than a third of drivers (37%) plan to stay close to home over the bank holiday rather than drive a considerable distance and of these, 11% say they won’t be driving far due to the high price of fuel which hit new records again last week. A quarter (26%) meanwhile say they’ll only set out for a leisure trip by car if the weather turns out to be good.
RAC traffic spokesman Rod Dennis said: “Drivers clearly see a double bank holiday this close to the summer as a gift with so millions eager to make the most of it – although many appear keen to keep their car journeys short, perhaps mixing a daytrip or two with a Jubilee celebration at home. The fact the bank holidays coincide with the end of half-term in many places has the potential to put some extra pressure on the road network, so planning a journey carefully is important to beat the worst of any queues.
“The best way for drivers to avoid breaking down this week is to check over their vehicles before setting out – yet our research shows less than a fifth do this routinely. Making sure oil, coolant and screenwash are all at the right levels takes just minutes, as does ensuring tyres are free of damage and are inflated properly. A bit of TLC now could make the difference between a straightforward trip and one beset by a breakdown.”
(Picture – Yay Images)
