Friday set to be worst day for delays on A303 in Wiltshire as summer getway begins
The RAC warn millions will take to the roads over the next few days
Last updated 21st Jul 2021
The arrival of the school summer holidays in England and Wales will be marked by drivers taking an estimated 11.5m leisure trips by car between today and the end of the weekend, a study by the RAC and INRIX suggests.
The RAC expects today and Friday (23 July) will be the busiest days on the roads in this period with around 2.6m and 2.3m leisure trips made by drivers respectively.
Journey times are likely to be 'severely affected' with transport analytics experts INRIX predicting a 29% increase in delays on Friday, compared to typical July travel times.
It warn the A303 west bound from Solstice Park to the A36 junction, the Deptford interchange at Wylye, will be one of the worst for delays as people head to the West Country.
We're being encouraged to travel after 8pm when roads are less busy.
Other traffic hotspots include sections of the M25, the M1 in the East Midlands and the M4 west of Newport in South Wales.
Separate figures released by the RAC last week indicate the summer of 2021 is likely to be the busiest in years, with international travel restrictions scuppering the plans of millions who would normally jet off in search of the sunshine at this time of year.
PERFECT STORM
RAC Breakdown spokesman Simon Williams said:
"We seem to have all the elements of a perfect storm on the UK's roads this summer - with millions of drivers having already planned their staycation trips, plus the very real prospect of huge numbers more booking last minute if their foreign travel plans end in tatters because of Covid travel restrictions."
"With the current heatwave, the scene is really set for an incredibly busy few weeks on the country's roads, whether that's on motorways or on smaller, minor routes that take people to popular tourist destinations by the coast or in the countryside. It's never been more important to plan ahead to avoid the busiest times. "
BREAKDOWNS TO SOAR
The RAC is also expecting a big rise in the the number of people needing help
With so many cars only being driven short disances during months of travel restrictions the risk of breaking down on a long journey increases considerably.
Simon says basic tips can make all the difference;
"With the roads likely to be so busy, we're expecting the numbers of people needing our help to rocket, but it's not too late to reduce your chances of breaking down. This is why we can't stress enough how important checking tyres, oil and coolant levels is."
"We're taking steps to prepare for the unprecedented demand the breakdown industry is facing this summer due to both the UK staycation and the impact of the current self-isolation rules on staffing levels. We'll be doing all we can to get to those members who do break down as quickly as possible, in these very challenging circumstances."