Fleet and logistics operators should prepare for significant congestion over the late August bank holiday, with the RAC predicting a record-breaking 20 million leisure journeys on UK roads between Friday 28 and Monday 31 August.
The forecast would make the weekend the busiest late summer bank holiday on the roads since RAC records began in 2015, potentially adding journey-time and scheduling pressures for commercial vehicle operators already contending with high fuel costs.
Friday is expected to be particularly challenging, with 4.1 million leisure journeys planned. A further 3.8 million trips are forecast for Saturday, 3.1 million on Sunday and 3.4 million on bank holiday Monday, while 5.5 million journeys have yet to be assigned to a particular day.
Transport data specialist INRIX expects several key logistics corridors to experience substantial delays. On Friday, the M5 southbound between the Almondsbury Interchange near Bristol and junction 23 for Glastonbury could see delays of up to 75 minutes around midday.
The M25 is also expected to experience heavy congestion, while on Sunday the M1 southbound between Daventry and St Albans could see delays of as much as 70 minutes at around 3pm.
Return traffic is expected to affect the M5 particularly heavily on Monday. Northbound journeys between Cheltenham/Gloucester and Birmingham could face delays of up to 45 minutes at around 7pm, with similar delays forecast between Taunton and the M4/M5 Almondsbury Interchange earlier in the afternoon.
The disruption comes as businesses and motorists contend with substantially higher fuel costs. The RAC says a tank of petrol now costs around £89, compared with £74 a year ago, while diesel has risen from £79 to £100.
RAC breakdown spokesperson Harriet Hernando described Friday as likely to be “frantic” and advised motorists who have flexibility to travel before 10am.
The forecast reinforces the importance of factoring seasonal traffic patterns into route planning, delivery schedules and driver communications. Preventative vehicle maintenance could also prove particularly important during periods of prolonged congestion and warm weather.
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