The great Bank Holiday getaway begins in earnest today, amid signs that
increasing numbers are leaving early to avoid congestion.
Endless traffic jams, crowded trains and teeming airport terminals have long
been the hallmarks of the summer Bank Holiday. But it seems the exodus is
getting earlier, as Britons begin to spread their travel misery slightly
more thinly.
The Highways Agency said yesterday its traffic control centre had begun to
notice a more prolonged period of congestion. “More people are starting to
stagger their times,” a spokesman said. “We’ve been issuing advice for quite
a few years to encourage people to stagger their journeys if they can.” The
spokesman said that increased working flexibility was a significant factor.
That people are taking off earlier is unlikely to console the six million
people expected to face road, rail and air delays this weekend. The Highways
Agency warns motorists of congestion caused by cones at 39 sets of
roadworks. The train operator Virgin said it was expecting services to
Newquay and Paignton in the South West and Bangor and Llandudno in North
Wales to be much busier than usual.
A record number of travellers, 153,000, are expected to board the Eurostar
rail service from today until next Tuesday, a 7 per cent increase on last
year. Eurostar said that it was transporting the equivalent of more than
1,000 short-haul jets.
Most of the roads are expected to remain busy on Saturday but there is
unlikely to be a significant rush home on Monday as many people will not be
returning until the following weekend.
Bank Holiday outdoor events and sporting attractions will lead to heavier than
normal traffic away from motorways and where congestion does not usually
occur.
Philip Hale, of Trafficmaster, said: “This is the last chance for many to
enjoy the summer weather but you can avoid much of the congestion and save
time by being smart about when you travel.”
Nearly seven million travellers expect lengthy delays this weekend, according
to a survey by eSure, the motor insurance company. About four million will
take to the road despite expected average delays of an hour and a half. A
further one million people planning train journeys believe that they face
delays of about an hour and fifty minutes, and more than 1.2 million think
their flights will take off an average of two hours and twenty-five minutes
late.
But 500,000 people experienced such nightmare journeys during May’s Whitsun
Bank Holiday that they are opting to stay at home instead. The survey
suggests that the number of people venturing out for the weekend may
increase 17 per cent if, as forecast, the weather is sunny.
Hold-up hospots
On the road
South
A2 Darenth Nearest town Dartford
M25 Jct 2 Nearest town Dartford
A27, west of Southerham roundabout Nearest town Lewes
A3 Hindhead to Liphook Jct Nearest town Hindhead A3 Hindhead – Lea Coach Rd
to Boundless Rd
A27/A3(M) to M27 Nearest town Portsmouth
A2 Pepperhill to Cobham widening works
M4 Jct 12 Nearest town,Reading
East
M25 Junction 28/A12
M25 Jct 25 Holmesdale Tunnel
M1 Jct 6a to 10 project Nearest town Luton
M1 Brockley Bridge, Jct 4
A14 Orwell Bridge Nearest town Ipswich
East Midlands
A1(M) Jct 34 to A614 Junction Contraflow and speed reduced to 50/40mph
A1 Apleyhead Junction Nearest town Retford
A1 Markham Moor Nearest town Tuxford
A45 Wilby Way Roundabout Nearest town
West Midlands
A38 Trent Valley Bridge near Lichfield
A46 Northway Lane and Forsheda Junction
A5/M69 island Nearest town Hinckley Island improvements,. 30mph speed limit
South West/Devon & Cornwall
A38 Dobwalls, new bypass Nearest town Liskeard Lane closures and contraflow. A
30mph speed limit will be in force
A419 Blunsdon - Turnpike roundabout to Castle Eaton
North West
A590 High and Low Newton
M62/M57 Huyton Nearest town Liverpool Junction improvement. Narrow lanes
eastbound M62 and southbound M57
A5117/A550 M56 to Deeside Park Jct
M6 Jct 44 to A74 Guards Mill
North East
A66 6km West of A1 Scotch corner Nearest town Richmond
A66 Temple Sowerby A66 Surtees Bridge (A66 between A1130 and A135)
Nearest town Stockton-on-Tees
A1 Seven Mile House Bridge
A1 Scotch Corner Interchange
A1 Swalwell Nearest town Gateshead Bridge works. A1 Jct 46 to Wetherby Grange
Nearest town Wetherby Widening works. 50mph speed limit A69 Haydon Bridge
New bypass construction. 40mph speed limit for safety.
Yorkshire & Humber
M1 Jct 31 to Jct 32 Nearest town Rotherham
Major widening project with Speed reduced to 50mph
On the train
Most train operators will be affected by engineering works over the weekend,
with First Great Western and South West Trains being the worst-hit
Engineering work will be taking place
Between Newbury and Bedwyn
Between Reading and Reading West
Between Fratton and Portsmouth Harbour
At Cardiff Central Station
Between Staines and Weybridge / Ascot
Between Reading and Didcot Parkway
Between Didcot Parkway and Oxford
Between Reading and Bedwyn
Between Reading and Reading West
Between Reading and Newbury
Between Fratton and Portsmouth Harbour
At the airport
Airport passenger volumes predicted for the Bank Holiday weekend are:
Heathrow 603,000
Gatwick 518,000
Manchester 340,000
Stansted 320,000
Cardiff 38,000
John Lennon 77,000
Source: Highways Agency, National Rail, BAA
