Drivers in five UK areas are being warned to expect significant disruption this weekend as school holidays begin and the 'summer scramble' adds an estimated 14 million extra cars to roads from Friday to Sunday, according to breakdown experts at the RAC.
Five Areas Facing Worst Congestion
The RAC identified Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Somerset and north-west England as the hotspots, with figures showing 9% of holidaymakers heading to these destinations. The Sussex and Kent coasts, Scotland, East Anglia and Wales are also expected to see higher-than-normal traffic volumes.
Specific Delay Predictions
On Friday 17 July, the M25 anticlockwise from junction 17 to junction 12 will see delays of around 45 minutes from 7am. In the north-west, the M60 clockwise from junction 7 to junction 18 will experience delays of about half an hour from 4.30pm. The 'Saturday summer scramble' will be worst on the M25 anticlockwise from junction 17 to junction 12, with delays of around half an hour from 2pm.
Advice from RAC Spokesperson
RAC breakdown spokesperson Harriet Hernando urged drivers to plan ahead. “Drivers should be ready for the 'Saturday summer scramble' and plan their journeys, thinking about setting off earlier or later in the day to avoid traffic jams,” she said. “People should prepare for delays and getting stuck in a jam in potentially very hot weather. This means ensuring your car is 'summer-ready' – checking that oil and coolant are topped up and making sure that tyres have plenty of tread and are pumped up to the correct pressures.”
Breakdown Risks in Hot Weather
Hernando noted that during the June heatwave, RAC patrols attended a fifth more breakdowns. Common faults included tyres – with blowouts more frequent in heat as pressure builds – batteries and overheated engines. She added that with proper care, similar breakdowns can be avoided during the big summer getaway.
