‘Super jams' warning for millions of Brits

Despite warnings about unprecedented chaos on the roads, motorists plan to cover an average distance of 220 miles across the country over the double whammy of Bank Holidays - the equivalent of London to Middlesbrough, according to new research.

The annual ‘Bank Holiday Exodus' poll by esure car insurance revealed that more than three quarters (77 per cent) of Brits have planned a day trip or at least one night away with motorists spending an average of 4 hours and thirty minutes in their cars.  A brave eight per cent will even undertake epic journeys of between 500 and 1,000 miles.

Based on previous Bank Holiday hold-ups, esure estimates that the average motorist will face a record high delay of one hour and forty minutes.

The Lake District looks to be a bustling beauty spot over the weekends, with almost a quarter (23 per cent) of motorists polled travelling there by car over the Bank Holiday followed by Brighton and the North East coast.

Top Ten Bank Holiday Destinations

1. Lake District (23 per cent)
2. Brighton (12 per cent)
3. North East coast (10 per cent)
4. Bournemouth (eight per cent)
5. Pembrokeshire, Wales (seven per cent)
6. = Isle of Wight (six per cent)
6. = Scottish Highlands (six per cent)
8. Torquay (five per cent)
9. Loch Lomond, Scotland (four per cent)
10. Southend (three per cent)

Proving that traffic jams have become synonymous with British bank holidays, the research showed that almost three quarters (74 per cent) of those polled always expect delays over a bank holiday weekend and 60 per cent said they think that Bank Holiday traffic jams are getting worse in the UK.  More than half (51 per cent) said they think that the traffic will be worse than ever due to the extra holiday.

Over a third (35 per cent) of motorists would consider a holiday abroad rather than in the UK to avoid the traffic on UK roads.

Mike Pickard, Head of Risk and Underwriting at esure car insurance, said: "Most workers rejoiced when they saw how much time off they would be getting with a double whammy of bank holiday weekends, but we can now see the travel chaos looming.

"While Brits are daydreaming at their desks about getting away this weekend, they must not forget to adequately prepare for what could be a challenging journey ahead.  Simple precautions such as checking their vehicle before setting off and keeping an emergency breakdown kit in their vehicle could prevent a potentially unpleasant experience."