Easter getaway chaos hits TODAY as millions face delays for hours – here’s the best time to set off to avoid traffic
MILLIONS of Brits are set to face road delays today as people set off for their Easter getaways.
Research from the RAC has revealed the best times to set off if you wish to avoid traffic from the nearly 20 million travellers expected to make leisure journeys over the bank holiday weekend.
The data, collected in collaboration with traffic analytics specialists INRIX, suggests that severe congestion could hit a number of key roads across the UK.
It is set to be the busiest Easter for road users since 2022 when Brits had just come out of lockdown.
Research suggests that holiday seekers will face the worst traffic on Thursday, Friday and Saturday during the break.
Drivers are estimated to plan around 2.7 million trips on each of those days during this busy period.
In order to avoid the traffic, the RAC has recommended the best times to set off.
RAC breakdown spokesperson Alice Simpson said: “Drivers shouldn’t expect to escape the queues if they don’t plan the best time to set off.
“It’s always best to travel as early as possible in the morning or later in the day when most of the traffic has eased.”
She also revealed the worst routes to take as millions of travellers hit the road.
Alice added: “Although journey numbers are still very high, we’re anticipating more day trips and weekend breaks than people heading off on one and two-week stints, reflected by INRIX’s predictions that the worst delays will be along routes from Gatwick to the rest of the country.
“This could lead to a ‘hat-trick of hold-ups’ on Thursday, Friday and Saturday as drivers visit family and friends.”
Delays of more than an hour are predicted for the 35-mile clockwise stretch of the M25 between J7 for Gatwick Airport and J16 for the M40 at around 11.45am today.
After the large influx of travellers on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, the number of daily trips is expected to drop slightly on Easter Sunday to 2.5 million.
However, by Bank Holiday Monday, the number is set to jump back up to 2.7 million as countless holidaygoers are set to return home.
The Bank Holiday Monday will come just before many schools open up again to signal the new term.
Worst time to travel this bank holiday weekend as 19MILLION to hit roads on busiest Easter in 3 years – check your route
THE worst time to travel over the Easter bank holiday has been revealed - as a whopping 19 million drivers are expected to hit the roads.
It is set to be the busiest Easter for road users since 2022 when Brits had just come out of lockdown, according to the RAC.
Research suggests that holiday seekers will face severe traffic on Thursday, Friday and Sunday around this upcoming break.
Drivers are estimated to plan around 2.7 million trips every day during this busy period.
The RAC revealed the best and worst times to set off this Easter in order to avoid lengthy delays.
On Thursday April 17, the best time to set off would be before 12pm, while the worst time to leave would be between 2pm and 7pm.
On Good Friday, motorists have been told to leave home before 10am, and the heaviest traffic is expected between then and 5pm.
The best time to leave the following day, Saturday April 19, will be before 10:30am or after 2pm, while the worst time to travel is expected to be between 11am and 1pm.
On top of that, a further 6.2 million journeys are expected over the bank holiday weekend – but drivers for these trips are unsure when they will travel.
They are likely to be bearing the unpredictable weather in mind before they lock down a schedule.
The RAC has also specified the best specific times to avoid traffic, saying leaving before 12pm on Thursday would give you the best chance to avoid congestion.
On the flip side, the worst time would be between 2pm and 7pm.
For Good Friday, the best time would be before 10am, while the worst would be between then and 5pm.
The best time to leave the following day, Saturday, April 19, will be before 10:30am or after 2pm, while the worst time to travel is expected to be between 11am and 1pm.
Rail passengers have also been warned over disruption as Network Rail prepares to begin its Easter engineering work.
Works will be carried out on more than 300 projects across Britain between Good Friday and Monday, leading to a number of line closures.
London Euston will have no services to or from Milton Keynes on Saturday and Easter Sunday, while a reduced timetable will be in place on Good Friday and Monday.
It means passengers will be unable to access the UK’s 10th busiest railway station for long-distance travel while renewals of overhead electric lines and improvements to drainage take place.
This comes after it was announced that more than one thousand miles of roadworks would be lifted ahead of the Easter getaway.
Workers will down tools across 1,127 miles of repairs nationwide to get the country moving across the four-day break.
Around 97 per cent of major roads across England will be completely free from roadworks helping to speed up journeys.
Significant routes being lifted or completed by big getaway include 130 miles on the M25, 100 miles on the M1 between London and Chesterfield and 31 miles between Great Yarmouth and Peterborough.