Motorists across Britain are being urged to brace for a “Frantic Friday” on the roads, with millions of people expected to travel during what could become the busiest August bank holiday weekend since records began.
Around 20million car trips are forecast between Friday and Monday as families, day-trippers and holidaymakers try to squeeze in one final long weekend before Christmas.
The RAC said the predicted volume of traffic is the highest it has recorded since it began tracking summer bank holiday travel intentions in 2015, cautioning that Friday is “likely to be mired in traffic”.
According to the motoring group, 4.1million leisure journeys are expected on Friday, with a further 3.8million on Saturday, 3.1million on Sunday and 3.4million on bank holiday Monday.
Another 5.5million trips are expected to be taken at some point over the four-day spell, as many drivers wait until closer to departure before deciding when to set off.
With day-trippers sharing the network with families heading away for short breaks, transport analytics company Inrix has highlighted several routes where bank holiday traffic is expected to be particularly heavy:
Drivers are also facing significantly higher fuel bills, with the impact of Middle East conflict on oil prices meaning a typical 55-litre family car now costs about £89 to fill with petrol, compared with around £74 a year ago.
Vehicles in April on the M5 motorway in Somerset, which is set to be one of the traffic hotspots
A tank of diesel is approximately £100, up from £79 in August 2025.
An RAC survey of nearly 3,000 UK drivers indicated that 13 per cent have scrapped their bank holiday travel plans because of higher pump prices.
Some 8 per cent said they would still make their journey but save money on other things such as accommodation and eating out.
RAC breakdown spokesman Harriet Hernando said: ‘With record numbers making a getaway over the bank holiday, it looks like Brits are buoyed by the persistent warm and dry weather and are more confident in making plans for the late summer bank holiday weekend – which is quite often a washout.
‘Drivers should be ready for frantic Friday and think about setting off before 10am if they can. If the warm weather continues, people should be prepared in case they get caught in a traffic jam, by carrying plenty of water.’
The RAC commissioned research company FindOutNow to conduct the survey of 2,939 UK drivers on August 17.
The AA, which compiles prediction data for all road users – not just those going on leisure journeys – said Friday will see around 23.5 million drivers travelling, followed by 22.9million on Saturday, 21.7million on Sunday and 21.6million on Monday.
But it added that most journeys will be relatively short. Almost 19million cars are expected to travel under 50miles on Friday, with around 18.7million on Saturday, 17.9million on Sunday and 17.7million on Monday.
The AA said likely traffic hotspots will include:
- Local routes around shopping centres, retail parks and garden centres;
- Roads heading towards the east coast, including routes to resorts such as Skegness;
- Routes towards the South West and Cornwall, including the A303, M5 and A38;
- The M4 from London and routes leading towards Wales;
- The M6 towards Blackpool and the North West coast;
- Roads serving popular seaside towns, national parks, ports and airports.
Lee Morley of the AA said: ‘The final bank holiday before Christmas is one last chance for families and friends to make the most of a long weekend, and for most people that doesn’t mean travelling hundreds of miles.
‘Many will be making shorter trips to see family, go shopping or enjoy a day out closer to home.
‘The weather could have a big say in how the weekend develops. A significant number of drivers haven’t yet decided exactly what they’ll be doing, so a dry spell could encourage people to head out at short notice, while heavier rain could change when and where they travel.’
Breakdown rescue company Green Flag said the number of call outs it received over the summer bank holiday period last year was 13 per cent higher than the previous weekend.
It warned that many drivers may be overlooking ‘basic vehicle checks’ before long journeys, such as tyre pressures and levels of oil and coolant.
VisitEngland said its latest Trip Tracker survey found 10.6million Brits were definitely planning an overnight holiday trip in the UK this bank holiday weekend, bringing an estimated £4.3billion boost to the economy.
The total is slightly down on last year, when 11.2 million Brits planned to take an overnight trip in the UK during the long weekend. The figure was 11.0million in 2024 and 9.7million in 2023.
VisitEngland chief executive Patricia Yates said: ‘Businesses will be looking to the long weekend for a critical late summer lift after what has been a very mixed year for many destinations.
‘We can also see from our latest consumer research that the cost of living remains a concern. Brits are still keen to take their breaks, however many are booking last minute and wanting to save on accommodation, activities, eating out and searching for good value options.’
