August Bank Holiday traffic set to be busiest in over a decade

Seemingly non-stop sunshine is set to make this August Bank Holiday the busiest on the roads in more than a decade, with experts predicting delays of more than an hour on major roads.

According to the RAC and transport analytics firm INRIX more than 20 million getaway trips are expected to take place, while roadside assistance firm, Green Flag, estimates the number could even be as high as 25 million.

Damon Jowett, Green Flag’s head of customer roadside services, said: “The August Bank Holiday is one of the busiest travel weekends of the year, with millions of drivers expected to hit the road to make the most of the long weekend by visiting friends and family, enjoying days out or taking a short staycation.”

Friday 28 August is expected to be the busiest of the four days on the road, with at least four million journeys expected. RAC spokesperson, Harriet Hernando, said that drivers should “think about setting off before 10am if they can”. And she advised: “If the warm weather continues, people should be prepared in case they get caught in a traffic jam, by carrying plenty of water.”

INRIX says it expects traffic on London’s orbital M25 will hit its peak at around noon on Friday, as well as in the evening when holidaymakers head to their destinations after work; delays could stretch up to 50 minutes. The southbound M5, from the Midlands to the south-west, could be even busier as people head for the coast; INRIX forecasts that journey times could increase by up to 75 minutes. 

Delays of a similar length are expected on Sunday – in particular in the mid-afternoon on the southbound M1 from junction 16 for Daventry to junction six for St Albans. Finally, drivers using the M5 on Monday can expect heavy traffic, adding at least 45 minutes to their journey when travelling between junctions 25 and 15, as well as 11 and one.

Such heavy traffic is perhaps surprising given an RAC survey of almost 3,000 adults found that almost a third (32 per cent) of drivers have altered their plans due to high fuel prices; 13 per cent cancelled their plans altogether, while others are making shorter trips or cutting down on other expenditure.

As of the time of writing, the average price for petrol sits at 161.28 pence per litre, or 181.26 pence at motorway service stations. Diesel, meanwhile, will set you back 182.45 pence, or 202.06 pence per litre at a service station. These prices mean petrol and diesel are roughly 30 pence per litre more expensive than they were at the start of the conflict in the Middle East – or the equivalent of £16.50 extra for a full fill-up of a 55-litre family car fuel tank.

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