Drivers could be caught up in a ‘motoring mayday’ this bank holiday as 13 million vehicles are expected to hit the roads.
Insurance company RAC is predicting the busiest May Bank Holiday in three years.
Friday is expected to be the most hectic of the mini break with around 4.4m separate leisure journeys by car, 1.5m more than the same day last year, followed by Saturday (3.4m, up 900,000 on 2018) and the bank holiday itself (3.1m, up 1.2m on 2018).
Warning to avoid Temple Gate in Bristol because of huge queues of traffic
RAC Breakdown spokesman Rod Dennis said: “Despite it looking like the weather will take an usually cold turn for the start of May – certainly after the recent Easter heatwave – our figures suggest drivers are still keen to make the most of the long weekend, with significantly more saying they are planning a leisure trip by car this year than in recent years.
“However, there is a risk that drivers will suffer their own ‘motoring mayday’ if they are not careful, since the colder nights we’re about to experience could be enough to cause some older car batteries to finally give up the ghost – seriously disrupting plans for a getaway.
"Luckily, temperatures will rise during the day and it isn’t due to be a wash-out.
“The advice is again to try to use the roads when they are quieter, which primarily means avoiding Friday afternoon and evening if possible, and setting off earlier on Saturday, especially if travelling any great distance.”
Best times to travel
| Friday 3 May | 4.4m | Before 4pm and after 7pm |
| Saturday 4 May | 3.4m | Before 10am and after 3pm |
| Sunday 5 May | 2.5m | Before 10am and after 3pm |
| Monday 6 May | 3.1m | Before 12pm and after 4pm |
