Nearly more than two million extra drivers are set to be on roads this weekend
Millions of drivers are due to take to Britain’s roads this weekend, according to the RAC. It says that Saturday is expected to be the busiest ‘getaway’ day with more than three million trips due to be made.
The motoring organisation based its findings on a survey of nearly 2,500 drivers. The team’s research found that Friday will also be busy with 2.8 million planned journeys.
Sunday is due to see 2.3 million journeys with Monday dipping just below the two million mark.
On top of these estimates, there are another 4.2m trips which the organisation says will be made at some point over the course of the three-day weekend. These will be undertaken by drivers who haven’t yet decided on which day to travel on.
The overall number of getaway trips due to be made over the August bank holiday weekend is 1.8 million higher than last year – but they’re still lower than in previous years when petrol and diesel were much cheaper.
The RAC says the most popular destinations for the bank holiday weekend are: Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire. These locations were followed by Cornwall, Devon, Dorset and Somerset.
‘With fuel prices much lower than last summer’s record highs, it’s clear from our research that many more drivers are planning to make the most of what the UK has to offer over the last bank holiday of the summer,’ says Simon Williams, RAC spokesperson.
‘And if the weather is kind, even more people may decide to take trips swelling numbers on the road further still and possibly adding to the inevitable delays.’
‘Travel very early to beat the jams’
‘Those looking to have uninterrupted journeys should aim to travel very early to beat the jams, or if that’s not possible, much later in the day if they’re planning to be travelling on Friday.’
‘With breakdown numbers already well exceeding previous years, we’re urging drivers to do all they can to avoid finding themselves broken-down at the side of the road by carrying out a few essential vehicle checks before setting off.’
‘Simply making sure there’s enough oil and coolant can prevent some very expensive and inconvenient breakdowns.’
‘Checking tyres have plenty of tread and are inflated to the right pressures is also vital.’
‘Worn tyres are not only dangerous due reduced grip on the road, they are also more susceptible to punctures and blowouts, and under inflated tyres ruin fuel economy and lead to greater wear.’
‘Those who can’t find the time to carry out these straightforward checks risk having their weekends spoilt which is a great shame, particularly as this is the last long weekend before Christmas.’
‘And despite what some might think, there still could be time to get a vehicle serviced or repaired, particularly if booked with one of the RAC’s Mobile Mechanics who carry out work at customers’ homes or workplaces.’
‘There are still some next-day appointments available in parts of the country, which means drivers can get the peace of mind that comes from having their vehicle professionally serviced before hitting the road.’
‘We expect this bank holiday weekend to be very busy on major roads, with Friday and Saturday seeing the longest delays compared to normal,’ explains Bob Pishue, transportation analyst at INRIX.
‘While the most significant delays over the three days are going to be on the M25 and M1, routes to the West will inevitably be badly affected too.’
Weekend weather: ‘mixture of sunshine and showers’
‘At this stage, the weekend is looking like being a mixture of sunshine and showers.’
‘On Friday these are likely to be more frequent and heavier in the northern half of the UK, but the south won’t be immune to them either,’ says Stephen Dixon, Met Office spokesperson.
‘While it’s looking like an unsettled picture, the finer details will be determined nearer the time. It’s important to stay up to date with the latest forecast ahead of any weekend travel.’