Drivers planning on using the M5 this weekend have been issued a warning. The upcoming early May Bank Holiday is set to be the busiest since 2016, with travel experts expecting road congestion to be worse this weekend than for the King's Coronation.
This Friday (April 28) will likely be the busiest day as getaway drivers compete for road space with commuters. Transport monitoring site Inrix is warning of long delays on the M5.
The motorway is expected to be busiest heading southbound between junction 15 for Bristol and junction 23 for Taunton. Motorists planning on using the M5 on Friday have been told to set off before 11am if possible - or wait until the evening.
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The RAC estimates that over 17 million trips will be made by car in the UK between Friday (April 28) and Monday (May 1). This is higher than the 14.6 million expected over the coronation weekend the following week.
It is believed that millions of people will choose to stay at home to watch the royal events rather than venturing out. The King's Coronation will take place on Saturday, May 6, with the additional bank holiday following on Monday, May 8.
RAC Breakdown spokesman Rod Dennis said: “The weather might still be unseasonably chilly but this won’t stop drivers getting out and about over the double Bank Holiday weekends to make the most of some extra days off. While we’d expect more short breaks and day trips to the coast this coming weekend, when it comes to the coronation it’s likely major routes are less likely to be congested.
"The big variable, as always, is what happens with the Great British weather. If temperatures finally increase and the sun makes more of an appearance, we could well see many more people jumping in the car for a quick trip.
“In order to avoid any disappointment caused from cars letting their everyone on board down, we urge drivers to check tyres, oil and coolant levels as matters of priority before they hit the road.”
Inrix transportation analyst Bob Pishue said: “Travel times will likely peak on Friday afternoon with some areas seeing double the travel times as holiday travellers mix with commuters, but drivers should be prepared for added congestion throughout the holiday weekend.”
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