Drivers could face long queues this weekend during the Easter holidays.
The bank holiday weekend could be one of the busiest on record, according to experts, as it is the first bank holiday since the end of Covid restrictions, while sunny and hot weather is also predicted.
An estimated 21 MILLION trips for leisure are planned this weekend - the most since the RAC began recording this statistic back in 2014 - despite possible petrol shortages.
It could mean a few more people than usual escape to the beach for the day, adding more cars to the roads.
With Easter the first bank holiday since the New Year, the last thing anyone enjoying a deserved rest will want is to be stuck in a traffic jam for most of the day.
So how can you avoid long queues this Easter weekend?
What roads should I avoid this weekend?
Beachgoers and motorists should be wary of major roads like the M26 and M6 this weekend.
The RAC has a list of roads and the times you should try to avoid them this weekend and for Good Friday, it predicts this will be the busiest day of the whole weekend with 4.62 million leisure trips planned by car.
On the day, it warns that drivers should avoid busy roads between 9:30am and 7pm:
- M6 north J26 Liverpool to J36 South Lakes around the middle of the day
- M25 clockwise J8 to J16 around late morning
- A303 approaching Stonehenge during the morning
Saturday, people should avoid busy roads between between 10am and 2pm:
- A303 approaching Stonehenge around late morning
- M25 clockwise J8 to J16 around the middle of the day
Easter Sunday, people should avoid busy roads between 10am and 2pm:
- M25 clockwise J8 to J16 around the middle of the day
- A303 approaching Stonehenge around the middle of the day
Easter Monday, people should avoid busy roads between 12pm and 2:30pm, as well as the following:
- M25 clockwise J8 to J16 early afternoon
- M6 south J20 for the M56 to J16 Stoke-on-Trent early evening
- M3 north J14 for the M27 to J7 Basingstoke early afternoon
As well as the good weather and the enthusiasm for a post-Covid restrictions holiday, the FA Cup semi-finals are this Saturday, while rail network and airports may also see some disruption.
RAC traffic spokesperson Rod Dennis said: "After two years of relatively quiet Easter bank holidays on the roads, our research suggests a return to traffic levels that are much more typical of this time of year, and it’s very possible this weekend could turn out to be one of the busiest for leisure journeys for many years."
How do I avoid bank holiday queues?
Avoiding Easter queues will be hard, but there are a few things that could help such as planning ahead and leaving early.
Dennis said: "The key to avoiding the worst of any jams is planning. Put simply, the earlier you leave in the morning the more likely you are to miss the worst of the queues, especially if you are travelling a longer distance."
Some drivers are reported to be planning shorter journeys so they aren't spending a large chunk of their well-earned break stuck in a jam.
Breakdowns could also be a problem as queues could mean it takes longer for a recovery vehicle to reach a stranded driver. Checking your car before you leave is particularly important this weekend.
Some drivers may choose to stay away from the roads or keep to short journeys, as high fuel prices during a cost of living crisis hurt the pockets of struggling Brits. Meanwhile, protests by anti-oil groups like Just Stop Oil try to block oil tankers and disrupt fuel supply lines.
