Busiest Easter bank holiday on the roads in three years with 19m trips expected, says RAC

The RAC is predicting a ‘hat-trick of hold-ups’ as around 2.7 million trips are planned on Thursday 17 April, Good Friday 18 April, and Saturday 19 April.

This year’s Easter bank holiday weekend could be the busiest since 2022 – the first full getaway after COVID lockdowns – with more than 19 million leisure journeys planned, according to a new study by the RAC and traffic analytics specialists INRIX.

Research suggests traffic will be equally severe on Thursday 17 April, Good Friday 18 April, and Saturday 19 April, with drivers planning around 2.7 million trips each day during that period. The number of trips planned drops slightly on Easter Sunday to 2.5 million, before increasing again to 2.7 million on bank holiday Monday as people return home – ahead of most school terms beginning the next day.

A further 6.2 million journeys are anticipated over the Easter weekend, though many drivers are still unsure exactly when they’ll travel – with the unpredictable British weather likely to play a part.

INRIX expects Thursday 17 April to be the worst day for congestion, with jams forecast to increase by nearly a third (30%) compared to normal. On that day, delays of more than an hour are expected on the 35-mile clockwise stretch of the M25 between Junction 7 for Gatwick Airport and Junction 16 for the M40 to the West Midlands, around 11.45am. The M6 north of Chester and M25 clockwise towards Godstone in Surrey could also see long delays in the evening.

On Good Friday, the longest hold-ups are likely between 11am and 1pm. Drivers are advised to set off early in the morning or delay travel until later in the afternoon. Two popular routes to the West Country – the A303 westbound to Stonehenge and the M5 southbound between Junction 15 at the RAC tower north of Bristol and Junction 23 for Bridgwater – could face major delays, with journey times extended to 43 minutes and one hour 20 minutes respectively – more than double the usual duration.

For those returning from the West Country on Easter Monday 21 April, delays of nearly an hour (58 minutes) are forecast around 2.30pm on the M5 northbound between Junction 25 for Taunton and Junction 16 at the RAC tower. Elsewhere, the M25 anticlockwise between Junction 4 from Bromley and the Dartford Crossing is expected to be congested at lunchtime, with journeys taking over 30 minutes longer than normal.

RAC breakdown spokesperson Alice Simpson said: “The late bank holiday weekend clashes with the end of the Easter break for many schools – which we think will change the nature of this year’s getaway. Although journey numbers are still very high, we’re anticipating more day trips and weekend breaks than people heading off on one and two-week stints, reflected by INRIX’s predictions that the worst delays will be along routes from Gatwick to the rest of the country. This could lead to a ‘hat-trick of hold-ups’ on Thursday, Friday and Saturday as drivers visit family and friends.”

“But while getaway journeys may be shorter in length, we’re still expecting to see extremely high levels of traffic from Thursday onwards, with the greatest number of Easter getaway trips planned for three years. Drivers shouldn’t expect to escape the queues if they don’t plan the best time to set off. It’s always best to travel as early as possible in the morning or later in the day when most of the traffic has eased, especially if headed to popular holiday destinations such as the West Country, Scotland or Wales.”

“The Easter bank holiday is always a busy time for our patrols, but motorists can often avoid breaking down altogether if they make sure their cars are road-ready before setting off. An RAC Mobile Mechanic can service or repair your vehicle at home or work, eliminating the need to get to a garage.”

“Despite the predicted jams and the weather looking cooler than it was last week – the one silver lining for anyone getting away could be lower fuel prices. Talk of trade tariffs has pushed oil prices down, which should lead to lower petrol and diesel costs at the pumps if retailers pass on the savings.”

National Highways’ contraflow system, ‘Operation Brock’, will remain in place throughout the Easter weekend until 22 April, with lorries heading to the Port of Dover being directed to a designated lane at Junction 8 of the M20.

Doug Bannister, Chief Executive at the Port of Dover, said: “Thanks to the hard work of our operational team, our French and UK partners, and the travelling public, we’ve seen strong passenger numbers move smoothly through the port this Easter break.”

“Looking ahead to the bank holiday weekend, we’re forecasting a busy day on Thursday, where we expect around 5,000 outbound cars, and Friday 18 April, with around 5,500 outbound cars heading on their holidays from around 6am to 1pm.”

“The launch of the coach trip pre-registration system during this busy Easter travel period has also contributed to a more efficient experience, with ferry operators reporting that nearly a third of school groups have used it.”

“We’d like to remind passengers to travel to the port by the main routes only and arrive no more than two hours ahead of their scheduled sailing.”

[Image: Getty]