Millions of Britons are expected to hit the roads this Easter weekend, with Storm Dave set to bring strong winds and travel disruption across Scotland. The Met Office has issued a yellow warning for very strong winds in Scotland, Northern Ireland, parts of north Wales and northern England, with gusts of 50 to 60mph expected widely, and up to 80 to 90mph in western areas of Scotland.
The RAC predicts this will be the busiest Easter on the roads since 2022, with an estimated 21.7 million journeys planned. Drivers are advised to plan ahead and allow extra time, as the combination of strong winds and heavy rain from Friday will make driving conditions challenging. Delays are expected for road, rail, air and ferry transport, with potential cancellations and closures of exposed routes and bridges.
Fuel prices have risen sharply since the conflict in the Middle East began, with average diesel at 184.2p per litre and petrol at 153.7p per litre. Most drivers plan short journeys under 50 miles, primarily to visit family and friends. National Highways will lift 1,500 miles of roadworks in England from Thursday to Easter Monday to ease congestion.
Rebecca Guy from the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents urged drivers to take extra care, advising to slow down, increase following distances, and keep both hands on the wheel. For those travelling to continental Europe, refuelling before leaving the UK is recommended, as petrol in France is 25p more expensive per litre.
Abta estimates two million UK residents will travel abroad over the Easter weekend, but holidaymakers are warned of potential two-hour delays at EU borders due to the new entry-exit system requiring fingerprinting and photographs for non-EU travellers.
