Worst times to travel over Bank Holiday revealed as 16 million cars to hit roads and more rail strikes planned
29 April 2024, 10:23 | Updated: 29 April 2024, 10:25
Brits have been warned to expect travel chaos on Bank Holiday Monday with 16 million cars to hit the roads and more rail strikes planned.
Heavy traffic on Monday will be compounded by the highly-anticipated warm weather, with highs of 20C forecast.
The worst of the traffic will be around 5pm on Friday, as Brits rush off for long weekends away.
Some 16 million car journeys could be made on Friday alone, according to RAC analysis.
Read More: Exact date UK to be as hot as Ibiza this week as temperatures soar after cold snap
"It's looking like a Frantic Friday, with getaway, school and commuter traffic building into the evening," says RAC spokesperson Rod Dennis.
"Major trunk routes will be congested, with Saturday also busy.
"And after such miserable cold temperatures recently, drivers are ready to make the most of any better weather.
"Expect many more people on roads on days temperatures rise."
Busiest roads on Bank Holiday
Some of the busiest parts of the country on Friday will be:
- M25 at J11 in Surrey
- M1 at J11 around Luton
- M5 at J18 around Bristol
- M6 from J4a to J9 near Birmingham
- M60 at J9 and J10 around the Trafford Centre.
It is also expected to be busiest around noon and in the evening as Brits head back home from their getaway trips.
The roads are expected to be even busier as more strikes hit the railway.
The busiest rail route in Britain, the west coast mainline, will have no trains from London or Glasgow on Sunday. Services will also be affected on Saturday and Monday.
Around 10,000 trains and two million passengers' journeys are set to be affected by ASLEF train drivers' strikes across 16 operators on May 7, 8 and 9.
Meanwhile, an overtime ban will run from May 6 (Bank Holiday Monday) until May 11.
This could lead to short-term cancellations, Network Rail said.