‘Day trip delays’ spark busiest August bank holiday on record

This August bank holiday is expected to be the busiest in nine years with an estimated 19.2m leisure journeys by car as drivers go ‘day trip crazy’, new research from the RAC shows.*

Saturday 24 August is set to be the busiest on the roads with 3.7m getaway trips planned, slightly ahead of the 3m journeys planned every day on Friday (3.2m), Sunday (3.1m) and Bank Holiday Monday (3m). Additionally, a massive 6.2m trips are planned at some point over the last long summer weekend of the year, with drivers undecided exactly when they’ll travel.

The 19.2m figure is the highest number of ‘getaway’ trips predicted for the August Bank Holiday since the RAC began recording data for this weekend in 2015.

The RAC’s research also found an overwhelming majority of journeys will be day trips, with 84% of respondents saying they will be using their car for days out. Just 10% of drivers say they will be setting off on holiday in the UK or abroad and 6% will be returning home from a staycation or a foreign holiday.

Transport analytics specialists INRIX expect delays to last all day on both Friday 23 and Saturday 24 August, with the worst times to travel between 10am and 6pm on Friday and 10am and 1pm on Saturday. Drivers are advised to make journeys on Friday evening after 6pm when the worst of the commuter traffic is over, or after 2pm on Saturday following the lunchtime rush.

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In addition to the usual holiday traffic along major roads to the UK’s coastlines, the RAC and INRIX have released predictions for severe delays on routes towards the Reading and Leeds music festivals which take place during the bank holiday. Reported to have the second biggest impact on traffic of any major UK event,** traffic to Leeds Festival will be especially bad along the A1, A1(M), M1, M62 and A64 from Thursday 22 August. Journeys are set to double in length on Friday 23 at lunchtime, along the A1 southbound between the Kirk Deighton and Bramham interchanges.

Meanwhile, anyone not attending the Reading Festival should avoid junction 11 of the M4 eastbound to Reading, M3 junction 6 at the Black Dam interchange and the Wendlebury interchange at junction 9 of the M40. Festival attendees are advised not to drive to Reading due to the close proximity of the train station to the festival site.

RAC Breakdown spokesperson Alice Simpson said: “With the end of the school holidays fast approaching it seems day trips will be the main cause of traffic this weekend, so for many drivers it could be a case of ‘day trip delays’. As our data shows, this weekend is likely to be the busiest August Bank Holiday on the roads for nine years, so it’s important everyone ensures their vehicle is in good condition to avoid facing an unwanted breakdown.

“Whether you’re off to a festival, the coast or a theme park or meeting up with friends and family elsewhere, the usual trusted advice applies: leave as early as you can to avoid the jams or be prepared to sit in some lengthy queues.”

The Port of Dover expects more than 20,000 cars to travel through its harbour over the August Bank Holiday weekend, covering both in and outbound journeys. It estimates peak hours to be between 6am and 1pm from Friday 23 to Sunday 25 August.

Port of Dover chief executive Doug Bannister said: “We continue to advise those sailing from the Port of Dover that it is still necessary that they do not arrive any earlier than the two hours requested – just as if they were planning on flying from a UK airport. 

“Travellers going through the port this summer may notice the works underway to prepare for the introduction of the EU’s new Entry / Exit system, due to go live in November. With capacity in our pre-border processing space reduced, we also appreciate our customers’ support if they experience a longer wait time, but rest assured you will get away on the next available sailing.

“Furthermore, we expect to welcome back in the region of 9,000 cars to the UK throughout the weekend, as people return from their summer breaks.”

National Network manager at National Highways Dale Hipkiss, said: “We’re lifting more than 500 miles of roadworks to keep people moving this August Bank Holiday, and almost 97% of the network will be free from roadworks over the long weekend. We anticipate the roads will be busier than usual and are reminding people to check before they travel and leave plenty of extra time. 

“Seaside resorts, airports and theme parks are likely to be amongst some of the most popular destinations, along with attractions such as Leeds Festival, and routes in Kent will also be busier as people head to Europe via the ports for some last-minute sun.

“Some small checks, top-ups and rest as outlined in our TRIP guidance, are all things we encourage drivers to carry out before a long journey, to help keep them and their passengers safe, whilst avoiding any unnecessary delays or costly repair bills.”

^{*Research conducted for the RAC by FindOutNow among 2,128 UK adults w/e 12 August 2024. A nationally representative survey. Figures extrapolated to 33m licensed cars}

^{**Source taken from official National Highways advice given to the BBC: Leeds Festival: Traffic warning as scale of roads impact revealed}