Motorists urged to plan for Bank Holiday traffic chaos
Over half of all Brits (52 per cent) are planning a trip this Bank Holiday weekend and could be caught up in an unprecedented mayhem caused by traffic jams, strike threats, delays and cancellations, according to new research.
The annual ‘Bank Holiday Exodus' poll by esure car insurance reveals that 55 per cent of Brits are planning a day trip or at least one night away with 79 per cent set to travel by car. And many motorists are going to extreme lengths to avoid the jams, with a quarter (25 per cent) taking the Friday before the weekend as holiday in order to try and beat the queues.
Road works, the threatened strike by airport staff, Eurostar and Tube disruptions, and bus replacement services by train operators have all impacted people's travel plans this Bank Holiday weekend. Despite this, 28.8 million Brits will take a car journey of more than one hour over the weekend, with nearly one in five (19 per cent) embarking on a journey of over four hours.
Over a third of young people aged between 18 and 25 (41 per cent) are planning a day trip this weekend, many of whom will be lured by the 17 music festivals taking place across the country, including Reading and Leeds. Despite disruptions on the Tube network, Londoners will be the most likely to make an escape with 28 per cent planning at least one night away, putting huge strain on the already overstretched M25.
Despite a high probability of rain across most of the country on Thursday and Friday, hopeful Brits are still planning to hit the beach this weekend with 13 per cent opting for the Isle of Wight. Blackpool and Brighton were the second most popular destinations with 10 per cent of the vote, potentially making the A3, M23 and M55 some of the busiest roads this weekend.
Based on previous Bank Holiday hold-ups, esure estimates that motorists will face an average delay of one hour and 24 minutes with 12 per cent of motorists potentially sitting in jams that may exceed three hours.
Mike Pickard, Head of Risk and Underwriting at esure car insurance, said: "Travel delays are standard fare for any Bank Holiday weekend but this week we're facing a perfect storm for delays on the road. Millions will opt for the car and a large percentage will not prepare properly.
"Motorists should check their vehicle before setting off and travel with plenty of water, snacks, a map and a mobile phone in case of breakdowns. Planning ahead by travelling off-peak and choosing a route that avoids popular tourist hotspots is a great way to beat the queues and spend more of your weekend on holiday.
"Although driving at night or early in the morning can be an effective way to avoid the traffic, this can also be a Russian Roulette with tiredness."
How motorists plan to deal with the Bank Holiday traffic chaos:
One in four (25 per cent) will take Friday off work
25 per cent will leave work early on Friday in order to beat the traffic
One in four (26 per cent) will drive during the night to avoid delays
Nearly a third (30 per cent) will get up before sunrise on Saturday morning to set off
One in three (33 per cent) will use minor roads to reach their destination
Nearly one in five (19 per cent) will completely avoid motorways altogether
Over a fifth (21 per cent) have chosen an unconventional destination to avoid the crowds