The UK's worst Easter traffic hotspots revealed as AA warns drivers
The AA said Easter weekend being three weeks later than in 2024 will "bump up bank holiday traffic by 15%" as many people hope for warmer weather this year.
But these hopes may be dashed after a period of settled and warmer weather, forecasters expected a return to unsettled conditions next weekend with some rain.
The AA anticipated 19.1 million people will drive on Good Friday, 18.5 million on Easter Saturday and 18.2 million on both Easter Sunday and Easter Monday.
The figures are based on responses to a survey of 11,233 AA members.
Thousands of Easter train journeys will be disrupted as Network Rail is carrying out engineering work. The most significant impact will be at London Euston – the UK's 10th busiest railway station – which will have no services to or from Milton Keynes on Easter Saturday and Easter Sunday, with a reduced timetable on Good Friday and Easter Monday.
Services on the West Coast Main Line will start and terminate at Carlisle, with replacement buses serving stations to the north.
The AA advised motorists to prepare for congestion around town and city centres, retail parks and major routes such as the M6 at Birmingham and around the Blackpool area, the south and western section of the M25 between the M23 and M40, the M5 at Bristol and the A303 in Wiltshire.
National Highways has deployed the traffic management system Operation Brock in Kent ahead of the Easter getaway period to try and avoid major backlogs.
The scheme involves narrow lanes and a reduced 50mph speed limit.
It is designed to manage traffic flows on the M20 motorway in the event of delays at Channel ports, which are seeing high demand from holidaymakers.
Operation Brock is in place on a 13-mile stretch of the motorway between Junction 8 for Maidstone and Junction 9 for Ashford.
Lorries heading for the Port of Dover or Eurotunnel are being directed to follow signs to join a specific lane at Junction 8.
All other traffic for the coast crosses over to enter the contraflow on the London-bound carriageway.
Tourism authority VisitEngland said around 10.6 million British adults are planning to take a holiday in the UK over the bank holiday period.
That is expected to provide an estimated £3.9 billion boost to the economy.
A further 3.4 million people are undecided about whether to book an overnight domestic Easter trip, with the most common reasons being waiting to see what the weather will be and if they can afford it.
VisitEngland chief executive Patricia Yates said: 'Tourism businesses and destinations will be looking to the critical Easter weekend for much-needed cash flow after the lean winter months, so it's encouraging to see many of us are planning a holiday at home.
Aviation analytics company Cirium said 11,282 flights are scheduled to depart UK airports between Good Friday and Easter Monday.
That is 6% more than last year's Easter but remains 4% down from Easter 2019.
The most common international destinations for UK departures this Easter are Dublin, Amsterdam, Malaga, Alicante and Mallorca.
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