10m extra cars threaten Bank Holiday chaos
MILLIONS of families hoping to get away for the Bank Holiday weekend face gridlock on the roads.
Experts warn that a ‘perfect storm’ of warm weather, a boom in ‘staycations’ and major disruption on the railways is set to cause some of the worst tailbacks in years.
The RAC predicts there will be double the number of vehicles on the roads this weekend compared with last year.
The motoring group expects 20.7million cars to be used between yesterday and Monday, compared to 10.1million over the same period in 2015.
Saturday is expected to be by far the busiest day, with five million getaways planned – up from 2.5million last year.
Tailbacks of up to 90 minutes are expected on the M25, as well as the M5 southbound.
The M4 between London and the West Country and the A303 westbound between Andover and Amesbury are also expected to be busy, with predicted delays of 40 to 50 minutes.
Highways England has urged drivers to make sure they stock up on water and food, with many facing lengthy tailbacks in temperatures of up to 25C (77F) in parts of the South East.
One reason for the expected gridlock is a boom in Britons holidaying at home. The fall in the value of the pound since the EU referendum means trips to Europe and elsewhere have become more expensive.
While this is bad news for congestion, experts say the silver lining is a welcome boost to the economy. Seven in ten Britons have taken a recent holiday in the UK or are planning one, according to a survey from Barclays Business.
This week’s warm weather is likely to have inspired many families to book last-minute breaks to the coast. But follow- ing the heat of the past few days, parts of the UK are expected to experience thundery showers, making roads more hazardous.
In addition, the RAC said the worst wave of strikes on Britain’s railways for 30 years will force more families to use their cars.
Southern rail – which has been blighted by a series of strikes – has cancelled 341 trains a day across the South East after introducing an emergency timetable last month.
Engineering projects also mean many rail routes across the country will be closed.
Work is taking place to upgrade signalling around Bristol, affecting passengers on Great Western Railway. Engineering is also disrupting services between Milton Keynes and Rugby.
Greg Hallsworth, an analyst at traffic services firm INRIX, described the situation as ‘Carmageddon’. He added: ‘ This bank holiday could see the worst congestion in recent years.
‘With some uncharacteristically good weather forecast and potential rail disruption, holidaymakers could find roads gridlocked far more than usual.’
Last night Highways England said 370 miles of roadworks would be lifted or completed by early this morning, in a bid to reduce weekend congestion.
Chief executive Jim O’Sullivan advised drivers: ‘Make sure you have everything you need for your journey should there be any delays, check before and during your journey and also make sure you’re aware of the signs and signals on motorways.’
‘Worst congestion in recent years’