Summer travel surge triggers 'midweek mayhem' on roads

Rising Traffic and Summer Travel Concerns

As the summer season approaches, Britain's drivers are being advised to prepare for an increase in traffic, particularly during midweek. Experts have forecasted that the number of car trips will reach its highest level since records began. With school holidays starting soon, a significant number of journeys are expected between today and Thursday.

Approximately 14 million trips are anticipated by drivers during this period, with most students in England finishing their school year tomorrow. On today alone, around 2.3 million leisure trips are expected, followed by 2 million each on tomorrow, Wednesday, and Thursday. The RAC has reported that more drivers than ever before are planning to go on vacation during the week rather than waiting for the weekend.

This trend is expected to result in an additional 5.6 million journeys between today and Thursday, bringing the total to 13.9 million during what the RAC refers to as 'midweek mayhem'. Following this surge, the first getaway weekend will also be busy, with 2.7 million journeys planned on 'Frantic Friday'. A 'Saturday scramble' is anticipated, with the largest single-day journey count reaching 3 million.

An additional 2.7 million trips are expected on Sunday, and 4.6 million more over the weekend, resulting in a total of 26.9 million journeys this week. According to data from transport experts at Inrix, the rise in midweek getaways is expected to cause delays on major routes, starting from tomorrow when most schools finish.

Several key routes are expected to experience delays, including the M40 northbound between J12 for Gaydon in Warwickshire and the M42 exit at J3A in the West Midlands, which could see mid-morning delays of up to 40 minutes. Queues of up to 50 minutes are likely from 4 pm on the M1 northbound from J12 to J16 in Northamptonshire, as well as on the M4 westbound from J22 for the Pilning Interchange near Severn Beach across the Prince of Wales Bridge to J26 for Newport.

Experts predict that these queues will continue through Wednesday afternoon as people attempt to travel before the weekend. The M1 northbound from J22 near Leicester to J26 for Nottingham, near the Peak District, could face 40-minute delays from 3 pm. Early-evening queues of 50 minutes along the M25 anticlockwise from J4 for Sevenoaks to the Dartford Crossing are also likely, as holiday traffic overlaps with rush-hour commuters.

The RAC and Inrix are advising those setting off at the weekend to travel as early or late as possible, as traffic is expected to be at its worst during the middle of the day. Drivers going away on Friday or Sunday are encouraged to start their trips before 10 am or after 7 pm, while Saturday drivers are advised to consider heading out before 10 am.

The weather is expected to be changeable this week, following thunderstorm warnings in place today. Showers are likely tomorrow, and thundery downpours could occur in the South East of England on Wednesday. Temperatures are expected to remain around average for the time of year.

Nick Mullender, RAC mobile servicing and repairs team leader, said: "Normally the weekend bears the brunt of getaway traffic but this year we're expecting 'midweek mayhem' as schools finish for summer. We typically see a peak on 'Frantic Friday' when holidaymakers share the roads with commuters heading home, but our figures indicate these trips will now be spread across several days with millions more weekday journeys planned."

Mullender added that Saturday is expected to be the 'single busiest day for summer traffic', with many drivers traveling long distances to reach their holiday destinations. He encouraged drivers to ensure they are well rested and fresh for their trip, and to share the driving with another passenger to maintain high concentration levels.

For those traveling with children, Mullender recommended packing plenty of entertainment to keep them occupied and minimize questions like "are we there yet?" Water, snacks, and phone chargers are essential for a smooth journey.

Research on journey trips was conducted for the RAC by FindOutNow among 2,135 UK adults in the week commencing July 7 in a nationally representative survey, with figures extrapolated to 34 million cars.