The first bank holiday weekend in May 2024 is shaping up to be a busy one. Traffic is expected to be well above pre-pandemic levels, with as many as 16 million motorists set to hit the road over the course of the weekend.
These figures come from the RAC. It conducted a survey of 3,000 UK motorists, with the aim of learning their travel plans for the bank holiday weekend. It then used that data to build a picture of the nation’s travel schedule.
The results of the survey suggest that traffic will begin to build on Friday 3rd May with around 2.6 million motorists starting their weekend getaways early. Traffic will peak on Saturday 4th May, with 3.3 million drivers on the road.
Sunday is expected to be the quietest day for travel, with a mere 2.3 million drivers on the road. On Monday, though, that figure will climb back to the same level as Friday, as people making their way home dice with last-minute holidayers.
There’s a wild card to consider, too. The RAC’s survey had an ‘undecided’ field for participants – and the data it gathered suggests around 5.6 million UK drivers are still unsure about which day they’ll travel on.
What are the busiest roads this May bank holiday?
Transport analytics provider, Inrix, has audited the UK’s road network and compiled a list of the busiest routes. Inrix expects most major roads across the south and southwest of the country will experience significant delays on Friday afternoon, with journeys taking an average of 50% longer than usual.
The worst-hit road will be the southbound carriageway of the M5 between Bristol and Taunton. On Friday afternoon, journeys along that route are expected to take two hours longer than usual as holiday makers fight for space with straggling commuter traffic.
In addition, congestion is expected from around 11am on the eastbound stretch of the M55 between Blackpool and Preston. The A30 and A38 from Cornwall to Exeter will also experience jams from around 11:30am, while the A11 southbound from Norwich to Thetford is forecast to clog up at roughly 12:15am.
Plus, Inrix’s data suggests that the weekend getaway madness could start as early as Thursday morning, with the southbound carriageway of the M53 between Liverpool and Chester experiencing mid-morning delays of up to 45 minutes. So, if you’re a late-morning commuter along that route, consider heading into work a little earlier.
What does this mean for you?
Bob Pishue, transportation analyst at Inrix, expects delays won’t be as severe as the recent easter weekend but, if you’ve got a trip scheduled for this bank holiday weekend, it’s worth planning your departure time to avoid the worst of the traffic. This varies depending on the day – but we’ve included the RAC’s recommended travel times below to help you out.
On Friday, make sure you’ve left before 9am. Traffic levels are expected to peak between 11am and 6pm. If you’re leaving on Saturday, Sunday or Monday, give yourself a lie in because the worst of the traffic will be between 9am and 3pm. The best time to travel on those three days will be after 5pm.
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Luke Wilkinson is Deputy Editor of Parkers. He has five years of experience as a car journalist, and spends his time writing news, reviews, features and advice pieces for both Parkers and its sister site CAR magazine.
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