Bank holiday travel chaos warning with 16 million cars on roads
Bank holiday revellers have been warned of travel chaos with up to 16 million cars expected to hit the roads on ‘frantic Friday’ and rail strikes also set to add to disruption.
The weather is set to change just in time for the weekend with highs of 20C – which will add to the congestion as millions make a dash to seaside towns and fairs.
Friday is set for a tea-time meltdown as the holidaymakers’ rush clashes with office workers trying to get home and the after-school traffic.
The train driver’s overtime ban on bank holiday Monday – which is set to cancel hundreds of services – and the nearly 500 planned rail works will push more people into their cars and add to delays on roads, the RAC said.
As many as 16 million cars will hit the UK’s roads this weekend leading to many congested routes
This maps outlines where the biggest areas of congestion are expected on the country’s roads
The nearly 500 planned rail works over the bank holiday will add to delays this weekend as many will chose to travel by car
The weather is set to change with the mercury set to hit highs of 20C over the weekend
Spokesman Rod Dennis said: ‘It’s looking like a Frantic Friday, with getaway, school and commuter traffic building into the evening.
‘Major trunk routes will be congested, with Saturday also busy.
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‘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.’
Mr Dennis added: ‘People are concerned about rail strikes, so some of those rail journeys planned for Monday will end up on the road instead.’
The AA warned of Friday snarl-ups at hotspots, including the M25 at J11 in Surrey, the M1 at J11 near Luton, the M5 at J18 near Bristol, the M6 from J4a to J8 around Birmingham, and the M60 at J9 and J10 near the Trafford Centre.
The west coast mainline – the busiest route in Britain – will have no trains from London or Glasgow on Sunday, with services slashed on Saturday and Monday.
Other works will hit journeys near Liverpool, Crewe, Wigan, Coventry, Cambridge and Southampton.
Network Rail’s Anit Chandarana said: ‘We’re investing in making the railway more reliable.’
A total of 10,000 trains and two million passengers’ journeys are set to be cancelled by the ASLEF train drivers’ strikes across 16 operators on May 7, 8 and 9, analysis of rail industry figures indicates.
There are hour long queues expected at Dover for ferry passengers as 15,000 cars are expected to sail to France over the weekend
And an overtime ban, which sees services axed at the last minute, runs from Bank Holiday Monday on May 6 until May 11.
Network Rail said: ‘Some operators will not run any services on strike days, and the overtime ban may lead to short-notice cancellations.’
Heathrow passengers face passport control delays in the run-up to the holiday weekend as 300 Border Force staff strike from Monday to Thursday. Heathrow said: ‘Longer queue times may be experienced.’
Ferry passengers are set for 60-minute queues at Dover as up to 15,000 cars sail to France over the extended weekend.
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