Britain is preparing for an exceptionally busy late May bank holiday weekend, with motoring organisations warning that hot weather and extra border checks will lead to long traffic queues. Almost 19 million drivers are expected on the roads, a million more than the same period in 2025, according to the RAC.
Traffic hotspots and weather
Temperatures are forecast to exceed 30C in some areas by Monday, driving many towards coastal roads. Seaside resorts and the Port of Dover are expected to see significant congestion, compounded by delays from the EU's new entry-exit system (EES). The RAC's polling indicates that almost four in ten drivers plan a leisure trip, with Friday and Saturday predicted to be the busiest days. However, about 5% of drivers said high fuel prices would keep them at home. The average petrol price across the UK stands at 158.52p per litre, the highest since December 2022.
Day trips dominate
The AA notes that day trips to the coast will account for a larger share of leisure journeys than overnight stays, though shopping centres and retail parks will attract more overall traffic. Traffic jams are expected heading towards resorts on the east and north-west coasts of England, as well as routes to the south-east and Cornwall, including the A303, M5, and A38. Parking company RingGo data suggests Saturday will be the busiest day for seaside trips, with Bournemouth typically seeing the biggest visitor increase. Transport analytics firm Inrix predicts the worst traffic on the M1, M25, M5, and M6.
Port of Dover delays
Ferry passengers at the Port of Dover have been warned of long queues for border checks due to the EES implementation. About 18,000 travellers are expected between Friday and Sunday, with departures peaking Saturday morning. The EES software for French borders is not yet fully operational, forcing manual checks despite installed kiosks. Hour-long processing waits were reported by 6am on Friday.
Air travel and rail disruptions
Despite concerns about EES delays at airports and jet fuel uncertainty due to the Iran war, up to 2 million people are expected to fly abroad from the UK over the weekend. Airlines report slow forward bookings for summer flights, but half-term demand remains strong. Abta reports strong demand for Mediterranean trips, especially to Spain, Italy, Portugal, Croatia, and Greece. CEO Mark Tanzer said people are still taking holidays amid economic and geopolitical challenges. Cirium data shows over 12,000 flights scheduled from the UK, with Friday busiest and Palma de Mallorca the top destination after Dublin. Network Rail says most of the rail network will be open despite £64m of planned engineering works. Disruptions include parts of the east coast mainline between London and Edinburgh, with rail replacement buses between York and Darlington from Saturday to Monday. Buses replace trains between Newport and Bristol Parkway on the Great Western mainline. Thameslink trains will not run through central London. Strikes by TSSA union members at West Midlands and London North Western railways will reduce timetables on Friday and Saturday.
