Travel experts share advice on avoiding bank holiday traffic…
All words and photograph from Stonehenge Tours & Tickets:
They tell us:
Drivers are warned of a busy August bank holiday weekend, as temperatures are predicted to soar to 27°C in some parts of England.
Travel experts warn drivers to plan their journeys and take extra precautions when travelling over the weekend, including enabling traffic report alerts. These will give you real-time reports if an incident or roadworks occur during or just before your journey.
Magdalena Petrusic, a travel expert at Stonehenge Tours & Tickets says:
“The late spring bank holiday saw 19.75 million (59%) of drivers venturing out, making Sunday, 26th May, the busiest day of the holiday period.
It is expected that the late August bank holiday will be just as busy. Particularly, the A303 westbound near Stonehenge, as this landmark will attract a lot of visitors due to its popularity.
Public transport may be reduced on bank holidays, causing more people to rely on their cars for travel.
Therefore, it is important for those planning to drive over the long weekend to prepare and try to avoid getting caught up in congestion.”
Below, Magdalena shares five tips for travellers to ensure their bank holiday journeys are smoother and more enjoyable:
1. Turn on traffic report alerts
Enabling your traffic report alerts will give you real-time reports if an incident or roadworks occur during or just before your journey.
This can help you divert from the route you are on before entering a congested zone.
If you are using your vehicle’s navigation system, look for a setting labelled “Traffic”, “Live Traffic”, or “Traffic Alerts”. Turn on this feature to receive real-time traffic information during your drive.
For those using a mobile phone for navigation, ensure your device has an active internet connection to receive real-time traffic updates.
For voice alerts, make sure your volume is turned up and the app has the necessary permissions to send notifications.
2. Plan your route in advance
Navigation tools such as Google Maps or Waze can help you plan your route.
These tools give you real-time traffic updates and suggest alternate routes if there are delays on your original route.
Checking these updates hours before can help you prevent delays when you are planning to travel, as you can choose an alternate route.
If that route does take longer, you have given yourself enough time to leave earlier and try arriving at your desired time.
3. Avoid travelling at certain times
The worst times to travel during bank holidays are Friday between 10 am and 7 pm, Saturday between 10 am and 3 pm, and Sunday and Monday between 10 am and 4 pm.
Start your journey early in the morning or later in the evening to avoid peak traffic hours.
Most people hit the road mid-morning or late afternoon, so try to avoid these times.
The best times to travel are Friday, very early in the morning (before 6 am) or later at night, after 10 pm. Also, Saturday after 3 pm, when most people have arrived at their destination already.
4. Ensure your vehicle is well-maintained
Ensure you perform a maintenance check of your car, including tyres, and oil and fluid levels.
If you encounter a problem with your vehicle during your journey, not only is this potentially dangerous, but waiting for breakdown recovery can prolong your journey time.
To cover all bases of your vehicle, you should check:
- All fluid levels: engine oil, coolant, brake fluid, power steering fluid and windscreen washer fluid.
- Tyres:tyre pressure,tread depth,and tyre condition.
- Brakes: brake pads and performance.
- Lights: headlights, taillights, brake lights, signal lights, hazard lights, and interior lights.
- Battery: charge and connections.
- Wipers and windscreen condition.
- Spare tyres and tools.
5. Pack emergency essential items
If you do experience delays on the road, it is important to bring essential items. Water along with foods like granola bars, nuts, and dried fruit can provide quick energy.
Other items include a mobile phone with a fully charged battery. Be sure to include an in-car or a portable charger.
Many breakdowns are due to flat tyres. Therefore, carrying a spare can give you the option to change the tyre yourself, if you feel confident to do so. This will also save you time waiting for roadside assistance.
An empty petrol container is also recommended. If you run out of petrol, you could walk to the nearest petrol station provided it is within walking distance. It is important to be extremely careful if walking beside a busy road.
A torch and extra batteries are also good to have in case you are stranded in the dark.
For more information about Stonehenge Tours & Tickets please go to: https://stonehengetickets.