This August Bank Holiday is shaping up to be the busiest in nearly a decade, with an estimated 19.2 million leisure trips expected on the roads, according to new research from the RAC. Drivers are set to go "day trip crazy," with most journeys taking place over the long weekend.
Saturday, August 24, is forecasted to be the most hectic day, with 3.7 million trips planned. Friday, Sunday, and Monday will also be packed, each seeing around 3 million journeys. Additionally, about 6.2 million drivers are expected to take spontaneous trips at some point over the weekend.
These figures mark the highest number of planned getaways for the August Bank Holiday since the RAC began collecting data in 2015. The vast majority—84%—are day trips, while only 10% of people are heading off on vacation, and 6% are coming home from holiday.
Transport analytics firm INRIX expects traffic delays all day Friday and Saturday, with peak congestion times on Friday between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m., and Saturday between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. To avoid the worst of the traffic, drivers are advised to hit the road after 6 p.m. on Friday or after 2 p.m. on Saturday.
Besides the usual holiday traffic on coastal routes, the Reading and Leeds music festivals are expected to cause severe delays. Traffic heading to Leeds Festival, in particular, will be rough on the A1, A1(M), M1, M62, and A64 from Thursday, August 22. Expect journeys to double in length on Friday afternoon along the A1 southbound between Kirk Deighton and Bramham.
For those not attending Reading Festival, it's best to avoid the M4 junction 11, the M3 Black Dam interchange, and the Wendlebury interchange on the M40. Festival-goers heading to Reading are encouraged to take the train due to its proximity to the event site.
Alice Simpson, RAC Breakdown spokesperson, warns “With the end of the school holidays fast approaching it seems day trips will be the main cause of traffic this weekend, so for many drivers it could be a case of day trip delays".
She urges people to ensure their vehicles are in good shape to avoid breakdowns. “Whether you’re off to a festival, the coast or a theme park or meeting up with friends and family elsewhere, the usual trusted advice applies: leave as early as you can to avoid the jams or be prepared to sit in some lengthy queues.”
The Port of Dover is also expecting over 20,000 cars to pass through between Friday and Sunday, with peak times between 6 a.m. and 1 p.m. Doug Bannister, CEO of the Port of Dover, reminds travellers “We continue to advise those sailing from the Port of Dover that it is still necessary that they do not arrive any earlier than the two hours requested – just as if they were planning on flying from a UK airport.
“Travellers going through the port this summer may notice the works underway to prepare for the introduction of the EU’s new Entry / Exit system, due to go live in November. With capacity in our pre-border processing space reduced, we also appreciate our customers’ support if they experience a longer wait time, but rest assured you will get away on the next available sailing.
“Furthermore, we expect to welcome back in the region of 9,000 cars to the UK throughout the weekend, as people return from their summer breaks.”
National Network manager Dale Hipkiss said, “We’re lifting more than 500 miles of roadworks to keep people moving this August Bank Holiday, and almost 97% of the network will be free from roadworks over the long weekend. We anticipate the roads will be busier than usual and are reminding people to check before they travel and leave plenty of extra time.
“Seaside resorts, airports and theme parks are likely to be amongst some of the most popular destinations, along with attractions such as Leeds Festival, and routes in Kent will also be busier as people head to Europe via the ports for some last-minute sun.
“Some small checks, top-ups and rest as outlined in our TRIP guidance, are all things we encourage drivers to carry out before a long journey, to help keep them and their passengers safe, whilst avoiding any unnecessary delays or costly repair bills.”
