Quieter roads expected over August bank holiday

The British motorist can expect to see quieter roads this August Bank Holiday, as keepmoving.co.uk has found that traffic patterns have begun to buck the trend for the first time in many years.

Keepmoving.co.uk’s index of traffic problems (see notes to editors), shows that the relative number of delays and incidents this summer has fallen dramatically compared to the same period in 2007.

This trend is caused by the high cost of fuel, combined with the rising cost of living resulting in driving many motorists off the road. The slight decreases in the cost of fuel over the last two weeks still does nothing to disguise the fact that last August the price of petrol was on average 95.4p/litre, 18.6p cheaper than the average price at the pumps this year. On average, diesel is 24.3p more expensive this year. In many cases, motorists are paying up to 127p/litre for petrol and 143.9/litre for diesel.

Over the past two years the number of problems on Bank Holiday Friday and Saturday have increased, but Keepmoving.co.uk can confidently predict that this year it will be different. With fewer cars on the roads, there will be a reduction in the number of major traffic problems around traditional congestion hotspots, such as Junctions 15 to 21 on the M5 and Junctions 21 to 32 on the M6.

The outlook for traffic may be positive, but the threat of heavy rain may still cause misery to many, as was seen last July when hundreds of motorists were left stranded in their vehicles on the M5 in Gloucestershire and where many more experienced delays of several hours.

A further implication of the rise in the cost of fuel is that motorists will choose destinations closer to home; therefore unlike the August bank holidays of past years, it may not just be coastal areas that are busy. Inland locations such as York, Bath, Stratford-Upon-Avon and London may be more popular than usual.

With petrol prices remaining so high, saving money will be a key concern for Britain’s motorists this weekend. KeepMoving.co.uk has found that taking simple steps could save a small fortune.

Alex Petrie, KeepMoving General Manager said “Motorway journeys don’t have to mean costly fuel bills. Our new free ‘fuel checker’ tool allows our members to find the cheapest fuel within one minute drive of a route that they are already planning to take. Not only is the fuel up to 10p a litre cheaper away from motorway service stations, but further savings can be made on food and drinks for the family”.

For more information, log on to Keepmoving.co.uk.