Motorists are being urged to prepare for traffic chaos over the Easter weekend with millions of Britons expected to hit the roads.
Traffic over the Easter weekend is set to peak on Thursday and Friday when almost six million vehicles will hit the road.
New research from the RAC has found that more than 14 million leisure journeys could take place over the Easter weekend with experts warning drivers to be prepared for longer journeys.
The data also found that Good Friday could see some of the worst delays for drivers with 2.6 million getaway trips believed to take place on that day alone.
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More than 14 million drivers are expected to hit the roads between Thursday and Monday
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This is 600,000 more than the number of trips expected on Thursday, March 28, as well as Easter Monday.
A further 2.3 million trips are expected on Easter Saturday and Sunday as motorists travel to visit friends and family for the first bank holiday weekend of the year.
On the most congested roads, drivers are being warned to expect delays of around two and a half hours, with delays likely even after the Easter weekend.
RAC Breakdown spokesperson Alice Simpson said: “With Easter falling earlier than usual at the start of the school holidays, it could be ‘carmageddon’ for holidaymakers.
“Anyone who can delay leaving on Thursday 28 March until much later in the evening or set off as early as possible on Good Friday is likely to have a better journey than those who travel during the peak periods of the day.
“On every journey there are key pinch points where you can save yourself lots of valuable time if you can get through before everyone else.
“This will be especially true over the whole Easter holidays as our research shows two-thirds (64 per cent) of drivers will be making a leisure journey on major roads at some point.”
Data from traffic experts Inrix predicts that the lengthiest delays are expected between 11am and 3pm on Good Friday, with two routes – the M5 southbound between Bristol and Taunton and M3 between the M25 and the south coast – set to be particularly busy.
Around 26 per cent of drivers are still undecided on where they will be heading, meaning the roads may become even busier with people looking to book last-minute trips and staycations, PA reported.
Andy Butterfield, Customer Services Director at National Highways said: “This is the first bank holiday of the year, so we expect the roads to be busy with people looking to make the most of a long weekend.
“We encourage people to plan ahead and prepare their cars in advance for long journeys as this can help reduce the risk of breakdowns.”
The Met Office has warned that the Easter weekend is likely to be unsettled with rain or shows in most regions, with the heaviest and most frequent showers being seen in southern and western areas.
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Some drivers could see their journey times double over Easter
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Chris Wood, AA patrol of the year, called on Britons to check their vehicles before taking to the roads to avoid further chaos with their car breaking down.
He said: “Take 10 minutes to check your oil, coolant and windscreen wash levels. It’s also important to make sure you have plenty of fuel and or electric charge and check that all your lights are working – check your tyre pressures – do this when the tyres are cold and don’t forget to check the tread.
“If driving in wet weather, try to avoid standing water where it is safe to do so as this can cover potholes or displaced inspection covers that may be lurking below the surface.”
