Saturday, August 24, 2024 Motorists across the UK are being warned of “severe delays” as millions prepare for summer getaways during what is expected to be the busiest travel weekend of the year. Experts are predicting a “weekend of woe” as traffic builds, with the motoring group RAC forecasting the second busiest summer weekend since 2015. On Saturday alone, an estimated 3.
6 million car journeys are expected, followed by 2.9 million trips on Sunday as the bank holiday weekend kicks off. The RAC noted that this weekend’s travel volume is second only to 2022 when many took to the roads following two years of COVID-19 lockdowns.
RAC Breakdown spokesperson Alice Simpson commented, “With the end of the school holidays approaching, day trips are likely to be the main cause of traffic this weekend, leading to potential ‘day trip delays’ for many drivers.” Adding to the chaos, the M5 motorway is anticipated to be one of the worst-hit roads, particularly southbound between Junctions 15 and 23, and northbound between Junctions 25 and 15 on Monday, as travelers return home. Earlier in the day, tailbacks stretched over 30 miles between Bristol and Taunton, Somerset, due to a heavy volume of traffic.
A spokesperson from National Highways explained that the “severe delays” of over an hour were primarily due to the sheer number of vehicles on the road. The Port of Dover is also gearing up for its busiest weekend, expecting 11,000 tourist cars on Saturday. While the po.