Drivers are planning on doing 21.46m leisure journeys by car over the Easter weekend, according to new research published today.
Data from the RAC and transport analytics specialists Inrix shows that the roads this Easter are set to be the busiest since the RAC started tracking motorists’ plans in 2014.
Good Friday is predicted to be the single busiest day for traffic over the Easter weekend, with 4.62m separate leisure trips planned, compared to 3.96m on bank holiday Monday. On Easter Saturday and Sunday, 3.63m leisure trips were planned. A further 5.6m trips are estimated over the break, but drivers surveyed weren’t sure when they would be taking them.
Major rail disruption on routes between London and Birmingham is also set to make more take to the roads, along with rail strikes in Scotland and northern England.
Inrix’s data has also predicted some of the worst places for traffic, with the M6 north between Liverpool and the Lake District, and south towards Stone-on-Trent expected to be very busy. The A303 near Stonehenge is also expected to be congested, along with the M25 between Surrey and the M40 exit.
The RAC’s data has also highlighted that rising fuel prices are having an effect on journeys, with six per cent saying they’re not planning a trip over the weekend because of this reason. Meanwhile a fifth said they were looking to not travel as far this Easter.
RAC traffic spokesperson Rod Dennis said: “After two years of relatively quiet Easter bank holidays on the roads, our research suggests a return to traffic levels that are much more typical of this time of year, and it’s very possible this weekend could turn out to be one of the busiest for leisure journeys for many years.
“The key to avoiding the worst of any jams is planning. Put simply, the earlier you leave in the morning the more likely you are to miss the worst of the queues, especially if you are travelling a longer distance.”
