Holidaymakers are being warned of ‘carmageddon’ on the UK’s roads as the start of the school holidays clashes with the Easter weekend.
More than 14 million leisure journeys are expected to be made by car this weekend, potentially bringing chaos on many popular routes, according to research by the RAC, GBFE event partner, and Inrix.
Good Friday is likely to bring the worst delays on the roads as an estimated 2.6 million getaway trips are due to be made on that day alone. That’s 600,0000 more than the two million journeys planned for both Thursday 28 March – the day many schools break up – and Easter Monday. It’s also up on the volumes expected over Easter Saturday and Sunday, which are likely to see 2.3 million separate trips each day.
With an additional one in 10 drivers (10%) planning a trip over the long Easter weekend but undecided exactly when they’ll hit the road, there’s actually an estimated 3.3 million more trips staggered over these dates.
Data reveals likely traffic hot spots
Traffic on this coming Thursday is expected to be heaviest between 2pm and 7pm as getaway traffic combines with people making regular commuting trips. Research by the transport analytics specialists at Inrix suggests the busiest route will be the M25 in both directions between the M23 for Gatwick and the M1 in Hertfordshire from 4pm, with journeys on this stretch taking over two hours – more than double the usual time.
On Good Friday, the lengthiest delays are expected between 11am and 3pm, meaning drivers are advised to start their trips as early as possible in the morning or delay them until later the afternoon. Two popular routes for holidaymakers – the M5 southbound between Bristol and Taunton and M3 between the M25 and the south coast – are predicted to be affected by some of the longest jams, with journey times extending to one hour 48 minutes and two hours 18 minutes respectively – twice as long as usual.
Those heading away for a full week are warned that the busiest route to return on will be the M5 northbound between Taunton and Bristol on Friday 5 April at 3pm, where it will take an estimated two and a half hours to travel.
RAC Breakdown spokesperson Alice Simpson said: “On every journey there are key pinch points where you can save yourself lots of valuable time if you can get through before everyone else. This will be especially true over the whole Easter holidays as our research shows two-thirds (64%) of drivers will be making a leisure journey on major roads at some point.
“Lengthy queues can be expected along routes to the usual hotspots like the West Country, the Lake District and the south coast, especially during the middle of the day when most people make trips. While a good proportion of drivers aren’t yet tying themselves to a date, there may be even more cars on the road than anticipated if the sun decides to make an appearance.”
Bob Pishue, Inrix transportation analyst, added: “Although travel times will peak on Thursday and Friday afternoons, drivers should be prepared for longer journeys than normal throughout the entire weekend. To avoid the longest delays, we advise adjusting departure times so you’re not travelling in peak commuter hours. Knowing when and where congestion will build can help drivers avoid the stress of sitting in traffic.”
TfL warns Londoners to check before they travel over Easter weekend
Transport for London (TfL) has advised customers to plan journeys ahead and check before they travel over the Easter weekend.
While most TfL services will operate as usual, there will be some planned closures taking place for essential maintenance and improvement works. Closures will take place between 29 March and 1 April to allow for essential works on the Elizabeth line, parts of the London Overground, DLR and London Trams. A good service is expected on all other parts of the TfL network.
TfL’s Journey Planner or the TfL Go app will help customers avoid any closures and navigate any last-minute service changes.
Victoria Coach Station, Santander Cycles, rental e-scooters and taxi and private hire services will be available throughout the Easter period. The IFS Cloud Cable Car is also open throughout.
Glynn Barton, TfL’s chief operating officer, said: “The majority of our network will be running over the Easter weekend to help everyone make the most of the city. However, there will be some closures to allow for essential safety works and service upgrades and we advise customers to plan ahead and check their routes before traveling to ensure a smooth journey.
“There are plenty of alternative travel options available, and information can be found on the TfL website and through TfL travel tools including the TfL Go app.”
