Millions of drivers face a perfect storm of travel chaos this bank holiday weekend as record numbers plan getaways amid rail strikes and engineering work.
The RAC has urged motorists to depart as early as possible or prepare to spend longer in traffic. It expects around 17.6 million getaway trips by car between Friday and Monday.
The M5 between Bristol and Devon is set to experience the most severe traffic during the weekend, according to transport analytics firm Inrix. Delays of more than 40 minutes are expected on Friday and Saturday from junction 15 north of Bristol to junction 23 for Bridgwater.
The M20 in Kent faces delays of over half an hour on Friday, particularly affecting vehicles heading for Channel crossings via Dover or Folkestone.
Specific trouble spots include journeys from junction seven near Maidstone to junction three at Addington Interchange, and from junction one at Swanley to junction five at Aylesford.
Major routes to airports and coastal destinations in the South East and South West regions are expected to bear the brunt of holiday hold-ups.
Nick Mullender, team leader of RAC mobile servicing and repairs, said: "With this bank holiday being the last opportunity to enjoy a long weekend before Christmas, our study shows a real eagerness to get out and about with nearly 18 million drivers planning getaway trips."
"More traffic on the roads will inevitably lead to more vehicle breakdowns, especially if the sun makes an appearance and people decide on the day to visit popular destinations.
"We're expecting major roads to airports and coastal destinations to be extremely busy, especially the south-east and south-west regions which could end up bearing the brunt of most holiday hold-ups."
Rail strikes
CrossCountry rail workers who are members of the RMT union will take industrial action on Saturday and Monday, disrupting services throughout the bank holiday period.
The company will not operate any services on Saturday, with significant disruption expected on Sunday and a reduced timetable on Monday.
Passengers are being advised against travelling on Saturday and should instead travel either side of the bank holiday weekend or claim a full refund.
Network Rail is also conducting 261 engineering projects across Britain during the bank holiday period, potentially adding to disruption for travellers.
Sources used: "Liverpool Echo", "Sky News", "thestar.co.uk", "bristolpost.co.uk", "The Standard" Note: This article has been edited with the help of Artificial Intelligence.
