Drivers are preparing for the busiest August Bank Holiday on record with more than 19 million leisure trips set to be taken over the long weekend.
According to the RAC, Saturday, August 24, is set to be the busiest on the roads with 3.7 million getaway trips taking place as drivers look to get away for the long weekend.
This will be more than the 3.2 million journeys planned for Friday, 3.1 million trips on Sunday and three million on Bank Holiday Monday.
A further 6.2 million trips are expected to take place over the last long summer weekend of the year, although drivers are still undecided where they will go or when.
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Drivers are being warned of potential long delays at the Port of Dover over the weekend
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The RAC and transport analysts Inrix have urged motorists to expect delays on Friday and Saturday and avoid the roads at all costs between 10am and 6pm on Friday and between 10am and 1pm on Saturday.
The best times to travel for people looking to get away would be after 6pm on Friday evening when the commuter traffic is gone and after the lunchtime rush at 2pm on Saturday.
Alice Simpson, spokesperson for RAC Breakdown, said this is the busiest August Bank Holiday weekend in nine years.
She said: “It’s important everyone ensures their vehicle is in good condition to avoid facing an unwanted breakdown.
“Whether you’re off to a festival, the coast or a theme park or meeting up with friends and family elsewhere, the usual trusted advice applies: leave as early as you can to avoid the jams or be prepared to sit in some lengthy queues.”
The Port of Dover expects more than 20,000 cars to travel through the harbour over the August Bank Holiday weekend, with peak hours set to be between 6am and 1pm from Friday until Sunday.
Doug Bannister, chief executive of the Port of Dover, urged drivers not to arrive any earlier than two hours before they are set to sail, the same as those planning to fly from an airport.
He added: “Travellers going through the port this summer may notice the works underway to prepare for the introduction of the EU’s new Entry / Exit system, due to go live in November.”
Events will also impact traffic conditions across the weekend, with the popular Reading and Leeds festival taking place, as experts estimate that this has the second biggest impact on traffic of any major UK event.
From Thursday, August 22, traffic will be especially bad along the A1, A1(M), M1, M62 and A64, while journeys on Friday will double in length at lunchtime.
National Highways also announced that it would be lifting more than 500 miles of roadworks to keep people moving along their journeys over the weekend.
Dale Hipkiss, national network manager at National Highways, also said almost 97 per cent of the network will be free from roadworks over the long weekend.
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More than 500 miles of roadworks will be lifted over the weekend
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He added: “We anticipate the roads will be busier than usual and are reminding people to check before they travel and leave plenty of extra time.
“Seaside resorts, airports and theme parks are likely to be amongst some of the most popular destinations, along with attractions such as Leeds Festival, and routes in Kent will also be busier as people head to Europe via the ports for some last-minute sun.”