Traffic chaos predicted for May Day bank holiday weekend - here's when experts say NOT to travel

Millions of road trips are planned this weekend as the May Day UK bank holiday getaway gets underway - with motorways pinpointed as potential traffic hotspots. Motoring experts at the RAC are warning of lengthy delays on major routes after a survey of drivers revealed an increase of a million trips on 2024.

The study suggested Friday (May 2) will be the busiest day of the weekend, with as many as 3 million journeys expected to be made out of a total 17m. Saturday and Monday (May 3 and 5) will see around 2.9m and 2.8m respective journeys made, while Sunday is expected to be the quietest day on the roads, with 2.4m UK road trips scheduled, although drivers are planning an additional 6m journeys at some point between Friday and Monday, the RAC said.

Of those surveyed, the most common reason for a trip (34%) was to see family and friends, while shopping and running errands will make up 17% of journeys, with short breaks around 10%.

When should I drive to avoid traffic over May Day bank holiday?

Data from transport analytics specialist INRIX showed Friday as being the day with the biggest expectation of congestion, at nearly a third (28%) more than a normal Friday. The worst of the traffic jams are likely to be later in the afternoon and Friday evening.

INRIX and the RAC advised drivers to travel before 10am on Friday if they can, or before 11am or after 3pm if travelling on Saturday, Sunday or the Monday bank holiday.

May Day bank holiday traffic hotspots

Hotspots of congestion will likely include the M25 clockwise from South Mimms interchange to Essex, with delays of 40 minutes expected from 4pm as commuter traffic combines with holiday trips. Elsewhere, the M5 southbound is expected to see similar delays from 7pm between the junction 15 Almondsbury interchange at Bristol and junction 23 for Bridgwater.

RAC Breakdown spokesperson, Alice Simpson, said: "Although the Easter break was just two weeks ago, our figures suggest this weekend will still be hectic on the roads as millions take advantage of another bank holiday. This week’s very warm weather may not last right into the weekend, but with lots of daylight hours there’s still plenty of opportunity to get out and about.

“For drivers that have a choice, it’s best to avoid Friday evening as that’s when leisure traffic will clash with commuter journeys. Careful preparation is crucial to reduce the chance of a breakdown. It takes just minutes to check that a vehicle’s oil, coolant and screenwash are all at the right levels before your trip, and it’s equally important to ensure all tyres are damage-free, have plenty of tread and are inflated properly. Anyone towing a caravan or trailer should check over these tyres as well."