Britons have been cautioned to brace themselves for an Easter travel ‘carmageddon’ as 14 million holiday trips are expected to create traffic congestion on roads and lead to closures on major rail routes.
The RAC has warned that road journeys could take twice as long as usual during the bank holiday weekend, coinciding with the beginning of a two-week break for many schools.
Rail travel will also be affected by engineering works, with the southern section of the West Coast Main Line shutting down between Good Friday and Easter Monday.
VisitEngland revealed that approximately 11 million individuals in the UK are preparing for an overnight Easter excursion, contributing an estimated £3.2 billion boost to the economy.
According to a survey commissioned by the RAC and transport analysis firm Inrix, 2.6 million leisure car journeys are anticipated on Good Friday.
On Easter Saturday and Easter Sunday, 2.3 million holiday getaways are planned each day, with an additional 2.0 million trips scheduled for both Thursday and Easter Monday.
Furthermore, 3.3 million Easter leisure trips have been organized by drivers who have not yet finalized their travel day, resulting in a total of around 14.5 million holiday journeys between Thursday and Easter Monday.
Inrix forecasts that the most severe congestion on Thursday will occur between 2pm and 7pm as holidaymakers vie for road space with regular commuters.
The busiest route is projected to be the western segment of the M25 between the M23 for Gatwick and the M1 for Hertfordshire.
Travel times on this stretch after 4pm are expected to exceed two hours, more than double the usual duration.
Delays on Good Friday are expected to peak between 11am and 3pm, prompting drivers to depart early in the morning or delay their trip until later in the afternoon.
Two popular routes for vacationers—the southbound M5 between Bristol and Taunton, and the M3 between the M25 and the south coast—are likely to experience congestion, with journey times estimated to be more than double the norm.
Alice Simpson, RAC Breakdown spokesperson, advised travelers to plan their journeys carefully to avoid congestion during peak periods.
She stated, ‘Lengthy queues can be expected along routes to popular destinations like the West Country, the Lake District, and the south coast, especially during midday travel.’
Inrix transportation analyst Bob Pishue recommended adjusting departure times to avoid the longest delays throughout the entire weekend.
The AA anticipates Easter Saturday to be the busiest day of the holiday period, with an estimated 18.5 million road trips expected.
The organization also forecasts 5.2 million bank holiday journeys for visiting friends or family, cautioning drivers about unpredictable conditions due to ongoing unsettled weather.
Drivers are advised by the AA to conduct basic vehicle checks before embarking on Easter journeys.
Chris Wood, AA patrol of the year, emphasized the importance of checking essential car fluids before setting off on long trips.
Network Rail is advising train passengers to verify their journey details in advance as several major routes will be closed for engineering work.
The West Coast Main Line between London Euston and Milton Keynes, utilized by Avanti West Coast trains to and from Scotland, will be closed for four days starting on Good Friday.
Network Rail highlighted track replacement near Kensal Green tunnel in North West London and junction upgrades south of Milton Keynes as reasons for the closure.
Replacement bus services will operate between Potters Bar to Watford Junction and Milton Keynes to London.
Disruptions to ScotRail services are expected due to track and points renewal work between Glasgow Central and Cambuslang and Polmadie Depot.
In West Yorkshire, the TransPennine Route Upgrade work will continue, involving track laying near Huddersfield, impacting train services on routes like Sheffield to Leeds and all trains to Huddersfield.
Greater Anglia also warned of disruptions across its routes due to construction work for the new Beaulieu Park station in Chelmsford and ongoing track maintenance.
Train services between London and various East Anglia destinations such as Norwich, Ipswich, and Colchester will be substituted by bus services for parts of the journey.
Additionally, the Elizabeth line in London will be closed for engineering work from London Paddington to Stratford and Abbey Wood.
Network Rail’s Laurence Bowman emphasized the importance of Easter for families and friends to reunite, acknowledging the inconvenience caused by the necessary maintenance work.
VisitEngland’s chief executive, Patricia Yates, highlighted the significance of the Easter weekend for tourism businesses and destinations in need of a financial boost after a slow winter season.
The RAC and Inrix survey, conducted with 2,136 UK adults, indicated a high level of travel activity during the Easter period.
On Easter Sunday, the UK will transition to British Summer Time (BST), marking the clock adjustment of moving forward by one hour.