Could this be the worst traffic weekend of the year?

The credit crunch, the rising cost of fuels, and the schools breaking up, are combining to make this weekend’s (25-27 July) ‘great escape’ the busiest on the roads in years.

The traffic information service keepmoving.co.uk is warning motorists to expect a busier getaway than normal. The traffic monitoring service expects over 18 million vehicles will take to the roads over the weekend and predicts that delays will rise by 33% on Friday 25th July, and 75% on Saturday 26th, relative to the seasonal average. More people than ever will be heading to the traditional British seaside resorts, in a bid to save some much needed cash as the cost of living continues to soar.

Tom Wright, chief executive of VisitBritain says more Britons are choosing a domestic holiday this summer. “Economic factors coupled with a renewed enthusiasm for what a holiday in Britain offer present real potential for domestic tourism this summer. Our seaside resorts have undergone a renaissance with options to suit every taste, cities have regenerated and destinations and standards are improving - with this and the potential of queues and longs waits at the airport, its no wonder Brits are avoiding the hassle and maximising their holiday time by staying at home this year” he said.

Mary Vingoe, from keepmoving.co.uk, said: “We believe that the affects of the credit crunch will be more evident than ever during the summer getaway this weekend. It’s the A roads leading to coastal areas where motorists will notice the increased volume of traffic. Major routes out of cities will experience queues, with the M6 Junctions 21-35 between Cheshire and the Lakes and the M5 Junctions 15-20 past Bristol and Junctions 23-29 through Somerset and Devon amongst the most severely affected. Congestion will start to build on Friday around 11am and will remain busy for the majority of the weekend.”

There are a number of long term roadworks which will add to delays, including the M1 in Hertfordshire, the M27 in Hampshire, the M4 in Cardiff and the M6 in the West Midlands. There are also several festivals this weekend, including Global Gathering in Stratford-Upon-Avon which will affect the M5, M42 and M40.

For free up to the minute traffic updates visit Keepmoving.co.uk.