Fewer than one-in-three motorists expect to take the summer holiday they had planned before the coronavirus outbreak, it has emerged.
The RAC poll of 3,200 motorists also showed that 68 per cent of those who have cancelled or expect to cancel their plans for a break still want to get away if they can.
Among this group, a staycation in the UK by car is favoured by the majority (59 per cent), with 13 per cent expecting to travel abroad by plane.
A further seven per cent are hoping to take their car across the Channel for a holiday.
RAC spokesman Rod Dennis said: “While a good proportion of drivers we surveyed remain optimistic about taking the holiday they had planned before the lockdown, most are anticipating having to make changes – with a move towards UK staycations the favoured option.
“July 4 is being rumoured as the day when lockdown restrictions may be eased further, at least in England.
“If summer holidays do become a reality for people this year and some tourist amenities are allowed to reopen, we’d anticipate some large spikes in weekend leisure traffic on major routes to the coasts, lakes and mountains.”
Asked earlier this week about the possibility of people taking summer holidays this year, Health Secretary Matt Hancock told Sky News: “We’re working on that.”
The UK Foreign Office is currently advising against all but essential travel, while there is a 14-day quarantine policy in place for people returning to Britain from abroad.
