Drivers have been warned of huge traffic delays on the May bank holiday weekend as more than 16 million cars hit the road.
Between Friday 3 May and Monday 6 May roads are expected to be busier than normal as drivers set off for the long weekend.
The RAC predicts roughly three million journeys on Saturday heading in and out of the capital, a further 2.3 million on Sunday and 2.6 million on Monday.
To avoid the peak traffic points, one experts advised drivers to avoid setting off between 1pm and 7pm on Thursday, 11am and 6pm on Friday, 9am and 2pm on Saturday, and 10am and 3pm on both the Sunday and Monday.
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Saturday May 3 is predicted to be worse day for traffic
PAFor drivers who are unable to avoid the peak times, they have been warned of delays on major routes expected to take 13 per cent longer than usual.
In particular, the M53 southbound from Liverpool to Chester is expected to be hit by mid-morning delays of up to 45 minutes.
The busiest route will be the M5 southbound between Bristol and Taunton on Friday afternoon where travel is expected to take nearly two hours longer.
Meanwhile, most major routes across the South and South West of the country will experience a 50 per cent increase in delays on Friday afternoon.
On bank holiday Monday, parts of the North West, East Anglia and South West will be hardest hit by returning traffic.
The M55 eastbound between Blackpool and Preston will be busy from 11am while Cornwall to Exeter eastbound on the A30 and A38 will be hit with traffic from 11.30am and Norwich to Thetford on the A11 southbound from 12.15pm.
Alice Simpson, spokesperson for RAC Breakdown, said: “With Covid travel restrictions a thing of the past, catching up with friends and family is still the first priority for nearly half of drivers making leisure trips over the bank holiday.
“Since 2022 – the first full year since mobility restrictions lifted – drivers appear to be much more eager to make the most of the May Day weekend, with the total number of getaway trips this year far exceeding the average since 2017.
“We’re anticipating a ‘crescendo of cars’ on the road over the weekend with as many as three million motorists making leisure trips on Saturday alone.”
The planned rail strikes by ASLEF Union taking place on Tuesday May 7 until Thursday May 9 are also expected to contribute to more cars and replacement buses on the roads.
On top of strikes, National Highways announced major roadworks will be taking place on the M25 between 9am on Friday, May 10, and 6am on Monday, May 13 affecting J9 (A243 Leatherhead) and J10 (A3 Wisley).
Bob Pishue, transportation analyst at INRIX, added that while the delays won’t be as severe as Easter, drivers should expect the “lengthiest hold-ups” on major roads.
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Traffic delays expected to be as much as two hours
GETTYDelays will likely peak on Friday afternoon with some areas seeing usual travel times double as holiday drivers vie for space on the roads with commuters, he warned.
Drivers are encouraged to plan ahead and to stay up to date with the latest travel advice and information on the National Highways website and socials.