M5 Motorway Braced for Bank Holiday Chaos
The M5 motorway is expected to be one of the most congested stretches of road in the country this bank holiday weekend, as millions of motorists embark on leisure trips.
Heavy traffic volumes have already caused significant delays on Friday, with over 30 miles of tailbacks reported between Bristol and Taunton, Somerset. Traffic monitoring site Inrix showed journey times between junctions J16 (M4 interchange) and J20 (Clevedon) exceeding 80 minutes for several hours, although these have now eased.
A spokesperson for National Highways attributed the "severe delays" to the sheer volume of traffic, with more congestion anticipated on Saturday.
The RAC Breakdown spokesperson, Alice Simpson, has warned that "day trips will be the main cause of traffic this weekend, so for many drivers it could be a case of 'day trip delays'."
New research from the RAC suggests this bank holiday weekend will be the busiest in nine years, with an estimated 19.2 million leisure journeys by car. The breakdown service anticipates significant delays on the M5 on both Friday and Saturday, particularly southbound between junctions J15 and J23. On Monday, northbound traffic between junctions J25 and J15 is also expected to be heavily congested as holidaymakers return home.
With a significant increase in traffic anticipated throughout the weekend, motorists are advised to plan their journeys carefully, consider alternative routes, and allow extra time for travel.
