Drivers are being warned to expect the busiest summer getaway on UK roads in four years, with an estimated 14.1 million motorists planning journeys for holidays or day trips between Friday and Sunday, according to the RAC.
This is the second highest figure since the RAC began tracking data in 2016, surpassed only by 18.8 million in 2022 when the easing of coronavirus restrictions sparked a surge in travel. Most schools in England and Wales break up for the summer holidays at the end of this week or early next week, while the academic year has already ended in Scotland and Northern Ireland.
Busiest days and congestion hotspots
The RAC predicted Saturday will be the busiest day on the roads for getaway journeys, with 3.8 million trips planned. Friday and Sunday will each see an estimated 3.4 million trips. A further 6.8 million journeys will be spread across the three-day period, with drivers unsure which exact day they will travel. The RAC warned that south-west and north-west England are likely to see the most leisure traffic.
Transport analytics company Inrix identified several likely congestion hotspots:
- The M1 southbound from Junction 16 (Northampton) to Junction 6 (Watford).
- The M25 clockwise from Junction 15 (the M4) to Junction 19 (Watford).
- The M25 anticlockwise from Junction 17 (Maple Cross) to Junction 12 (the M3).
- The M60 clockwise from Junction 7 (Altrincham) to Junction 18 (the M62).
- The M4 westbound from Junction 22 (the Severn Crossing) to Junction 35 (Bridgend).
Fuel prices and holiday choices
Drivers embarking on getaway road journeys will face fuel prices much higher than a year ago. Filling a 55-litre family car costs an additional £8.90 for petrol and £21.20 for diesel, based on average prices. RAC breakdown spokesperson Harriet Hernando said many families are choosing a UK holiday rather than an overseas break this summer, which she suggested could be caused by issues such as flight disruption, EU border delays and household budgets being squeezed.
She said: “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. People should prepare for delays and getting stuck in a jam in potentially very hot weather. People should carry plenty of water, as well as suncream and an umbrella to provide shade.”
EU border delays
The concern over border delays relates to the EU’s Entry Exit System (EES). The system, rolled out fully in April, involves people from third-party countries such as the UK having their fingerprints registered and photograph taken to enter the Schengen Area, which consists of 29 European countries, mainly in the EU. For most UK travellers, the process is done at foreign airports, but it is also carried out at the Port of Dover, Eurotunnel’s Folkestone terminal and London St Pancras railway station.
Many passengers have spent hours stuck in EES queues in recent months. The EU has rejected widespread calls from the travel industry to suspend the system until September amid fears delays will worsen during the peak summer holiday season.
