Travel Experts Warn of Bank Holiday Traffic Woe

As the summer bank holiday long weekend beckons, millions of UK motorists will be thinking about grabbing a last-minute UK getaway before the school holidays end.

Specifically, the RAC expects 19.2 million leisure trips are set to be made, as the UK road network is put under extreme pressure. With that in mind, drivers are being reminded to remain calm yet vigilant during traffic delays.

The RAC anticipates congestion hot spots to include the M5 heading both north and south, the A590 which connects the Lake District to the M6 motorway, as well as the areas surrounding Leeds and Reading, with both locations playing host to major music festivals.

The RAC is also advising people to avoid junction 11 of the M4 eastbound to Reading, M3 junction 6 at the Black Dam interchange and the Wendlebury interchange at junction 9 of the M40. It also expects traffic to be heavy on the A1, A1(M), M1, M62 and A64 from Thursday 22 August. Additionally, congestion hotspots have been recognised on the M5 heading both north and south, and the A590 which connects the Lake District to the M6 motorway.

For us riding motorcycles there are obvious benefits and methods we can undertake to bypass heavy traffic such as filtering in queues and making our way to the front at red lights. While these are both methods of speeding up our journeys, while also reducing congestion and local pollution, we should also be mindful of motorists on the road who may be not totally focused on what we bikers are doing, especially given the potential hot weather and heavy traffic.