Summer getaway hell warning with 27MILLION drivers hitting road in just 6 days – check worst times to travel
BRITS face a hellish start to the summer getaway as its expected there will be 27million drivers on the roads over a six day period.
This coming Saturday, July 27, is predicted by the RAC to be the busiest day with 3.6m trips made by car.
Between tomorrow and Sunday a staggering 13.9m journeys are due to happen, creating what the RAC has called a “weekend of woe”.
That means it is likely to be the second biggest summer getaway weekend since 2015.
Over the equivalent period in 2022, between July 22-24, 18.8m journeys were made, according to figures from the RAC and INRIX.
At the time it was extremely hot weather following two years of lockdowns caused by the Covid pandemic.
Last year, between July 21-23, 12.6m trips were done.
There are an expected 2.5m journeys to take place today.
The summer getaway got started on Tuesday, the day most schools break up for the summer holiday.
So-called “Frantic Friday” is expected to see a total of 3.2m trips being made as leisure and commuter traffic vie with each other for space on the roads.
Figures from INRIX shows traffic heading to major UK airports and staycation destinations will build from today onwards.
Delays of over half an hour are expected between the Chiswell Interchange near St Albans southbound to Gatwick Airport and the A303 eastbound between Ilminster and Andover, which carries traffic to London and the ports of Southampton and Portsmouth, where ferries leave for the Isle of Wight.
The single worst queue, of over two hours, is predicted on Saturday lunchtime on the M5 heading south between J15 – the M4 and M5 interchange near Bristol – and J23 for Bridgwater, as holidaymakers flock to Devon and Cornwall.
As millions of cars hit the road for summer, separate research by the RAC reveals the extent to which some drivers take a massive gamble before hitting the road with one-in-10 (11 per cent) saying they have driven to a holiday destination knowing there’s a problem with their vehicle, be it a warning light, mechanical issue, fluid leak or poor tread on a tyre.
RAC Breakdown spokesperson Alice Simpson said: “Anyone heading off on holiday on Saturday or Sunday should expect a ‘weekend of woe’ on the roads with journeys taking far longer than normal. If you can’t set off 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.
“We’d advise drivers to plan their routes well in advance if jetting off abroad this week.
The best and worst times to travel
Transport experts INRIX are warning drivers to avoid travelling between 12pm and 5pm on both Friday and Saturday and between 11am and 1pm on Sunday when the worst delays are expected.
The best times to travel will be after 6pm on Friday and Saturday, or 3pm on Sunday.
Saturday will see the longest hold-ups, with delays on A-roads and motorways expected to take a third longer than usual.
“It’s a huge concern that one-in-10 drivers holidaying at home have driven to their destination knowing there’s an issue with their car.
“That’s the equivalent of more than 2.7m drivers at the wheel of a faulty vehicle this week – a truly frightening statistic – which may lead to a breakdown or even worse, an accident.
“The expense of a nasty repair and precious lost holiday time far outweighs the cost of some ‘vehicle TLC’ before you set off.”
Bob Pishue, transportation analyst at INRIX, said: “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.”