M25, M23, M5 and M1 traffic jam warning as Essex motorists warned of busiest day in five years this Bank Holiday

Motorists are bracing for gridlock as the RAC forecasts this late May bank holiday weekend to be the most hectic since pre-pandemic times, with over 20 million car journeys planned from Friday to Monday. This surge in travel is set to surpass any late May bank holiday weekend since 2019.

Friday is expected to be particularly chaotic, coinciding with the onset of half-term for numerous schools. Inrix, a transport analytics firm, has issued a warning about potential delays exceeding 90 minutes on the M25 clockwise from Junction 7 for the M23 to Junction 21 for the M1 during Friday's late afternoon rush.

Similarly, motorists could face up to an hour's delay along a 45-mile section of the M5 southbound, stretching from north of Bristol at Junction 16 to Taunton's Junction 25 in Somerset. It could mean Essex motorists seeking for a break away from the county could be caught up in the delays.

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Alice Simpson, an RAC spokesperson, commented: "Our research suggests this weekend could be the busiest of the year so far on the roads, with millions of people embarking on getaway trips to make the most of the three days and, for those with school-age children, the start of the half-term holiday."

"In fact, we're looking at possible leisure traffic volumes returning to levels similar to what we last saw in 2019 before the coronavirus outbreak, as drivers' desire to make the most of the UK increases. And, in those places where the warm spring sunshine makes its presence felt, the number of people deciding to get behind the wheel and head for the coast or countryside will only go up, swelling the overall volume of cars on the roads.", reports Bristol Live.

Inrix transportation analyst Bob Pishue warned: "With near-record number of travellers expected to be on the roads over the holiday period, drivers should be prepared for long delays, especially in and around major cities and towards the coasts. The best general advice to anyone spending time away from home this weekend is to travel as early or as late in the day as possible to avoid the worst delays."

Meanwhile, railway services are also set to face disruption this weekend due to an array of Network Rail engineering projects. Services on the West Coast Main Line will experience a reduction as a result of work taking place around Crewe and Carlisle.

The rail service between Carstairs and Lanark in Scotland will be disrupted by track renewals, and there will be significant alterations to the timetable on the Great Eastern Main Line due to construction works for a new station at Beaulieu Park, located east of Chelmsford.

Network Rail explains that theres often an increase in major engineering tasks conducted over bank holiday periods to lessen the impact on passengers.

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