Motorists are being cautioned to anticipate extensive wait times during the Easter holiday, as the surge of millions of travelers leads to heavy traffic and clogged highways.
The RAC reported that numerous routes may experience a significant increase in travel time during the first bank holiday weekend of spring, with over 14 million journeys expected. This is further compounded by the two-week school holiday period for many.
Train travel will face disruptions due to engineering work conducted by Network Rail. The southern portion of the West Coast mainline will be shut down from Good Friday to Easter Monday.
According to spokesperson Alice Simpson from RAC Breakdown, the upcoming Easter holiday season, coinciding with school breaks, could lead to a surge in traffic and car troubles for travelers, also known as “carmageddon.”
“Anticipate significant delays on popular routes such as the West Country, Lake District, and south coast, particularly during peak hours when the majority of travelers take trips.”
The most severe traffic is predicted to happen on Thursday from 2pm to 7pm, as the increased number of leisure vehicles shares the road with everyday commuters.
According to a survey done by the research firm Find Out Now for RAC and transportation analysis company Inrix, Good Friday is expected to be the busiest day of the holiday season with 2.6 million people taking car trips for leisure purposes.
At minimum, there will be 2 million trips taken each day from Thursday to Easter Monday. Additionally, 3.3 million leisure trips are anticipated by drivers who haven’t yet determined their exact travel day.
According to Bob Pishue, a transportation analyst at Inrix, travel times are expected to reach their highest levels on Thursday and Friday evenings. However, motorists should be aware of potential delays throughout the entire weekend.
In order to prevent lengthy delays, we suggest scheduling your departure times outside of peak commuter hours for smoother travel.
The company stated that the most heavily traveled route will likely be the western portion of the M25, spanning from the M23 for Gatwick to the M1 for Hertfordshire. Commutes on this section after 4pm are estimated to take over two hours, more than double the usual time.
The highest amount of delay is anticipated between 11am and 3pm on Good Friday.
According to Inrix’s research, two commonly used paths for vacationers – the M5 heading towards Taunton from Bristol, and the M3 between the M25 and the southern coast – are expected to have heavy traffic, resulting in journey durations that are likely to be over twice the usual length.
Network Rail is advising train travelers to confirm their travel plans prior to departure, as certain major routes will be inaccessible during engineering operations.
The primary railway track connecting London Euston and Milton Keynes will be closed for a four-day period starting on Good Friday. Additionally, there will be disturbances in the vicinity of Glasgow and Huddersfield.
Source: theguardian.com
