Nineteen million car journeys are predicted across the May bank holiday weekend, making it the busiest for motorists in a decade, according to research by the RAC motoring organisation. The figure, spanning Friday to Monday, is only slightly behind the record of 20 million trips forecast in 2016. Despite high fuel prices and a changeable weather outlook, almost 40% of drivers surveyed said they were planning an overnight break or day trip, with only 6% saying the surge in pump prices had deterred them.
Friday is expected to be a “Frantic Friday”, with an estimated 3.7 million leisure trips as early getaways collide with commuter traffic and the school run. The RAC advises the worst times to travel are between 11am and 7pm, with the best window before 10am. Saturday is predicted to be the busiest day, with more than 4 million leisure trips and peak congestion from late morning to lunchtime. The M5 from Bristol to Taunton has been highlighted as a likely black spot as drivers head to Devon and Cornwall. The RAC urges motorists to aim to pass the RAC tower at the M4/M5 interchange as early as possible. Sunday is expected to see around 3 million getaway journeys, and Monday a further 3 million, with the busiest period on the final day between 11am and 6pm.
Fuel costs remain a significant factor. The average price of petrol is 157.17p per litre, and diesel is 189.23p per litre. Filling a family car with unleaded petrol costs approximately £86, £13 more than this time last year, while diesel is over £104, a £27 year-on-year increase. The cost per mile for an average petrol car is now around 20p. The RAC Foundation estimates that motorists have paid an additional £0.5 billion for petrol and £1.5 billion for diesel since the Middle East conflict began, which has driven up crude oil prices. However, 8% of surveyed drivers said they planned to drive shorter distances to mitigate costs.
The weather is set to be changeable. Friday will see parts of east and southeast England reach up to 27°C, potentially the warmest day of 2026 so far, while central parts including Scotland, the Pennines and the Midlands may experience heavy rain. Saturday is forecast as the best day, with sunny mornings giving way to cloud and highs of 22°C in London, though northern and western parts may see showers. Sunday is likely to be overcast and wetter, with a 60% chance of rain in London, and Monday overcast with a 40% chance of precipitation between 2pm and 7pm. Temperatures across the weekend will be cooler in the north, reaching 11–12°C, compared to 15–16°C in the south.
Rail engineering works to disrupt journeys
While the “vast majority” of Britain’s railway network will be open as usual, Network Rail has warned of “some notable exceptions” caused by scheduled engineering works. The east coast mainline will be closed between York and Northallerton from Saturday until Monday, adding hours to journeys between London and Edinburgh or Newcastle. Junction rebuilding at Tollerton is the major part of this work, with replacement buses in operation.
Works on the line out of London Euston will mean slightly fewer and slower services to cities in the Midlands and the north over the weekend, due to track renewal near Willesden and Primrose Hill. Liverpool’s Lime Street station will be closed all day on Sunday and until noon on Monday while new signalling installations are carried out, with replacement buses extending journey times to Liverpool South Parkway and Huyton. London’s Charing Cross and Waterloo East stations will be closed from Saturday to Monday for signalling improvements and footbridge installation; services will be diverted to London Victoria and Blackfriars.
The Transpennine Route Upgrade, which involves major works between Manchester, Huddersfield and Leeds, will continue throughout May and June. Huddersfield and Slaithwaite stations will have no services on Saturday 2 and Sunday 3 May, with amended timetables elsewhere. Work is also planned around Bath Spa, Huddersfield and Ely.
Network Rail is investing £140.5 million in 568 projects over the two May bank holiday weekends. Anit Chandarana, a group director for Network Rail, said: “There is no right way to do major work on our railway, but bank holidays are still among the least busy times for us in terms of passenger numbers and freight services. I’d advise everyone to plan ahead and check before they travel.”
Travel advice and planning
The RAC advises drivers to ensure their vehicles are “up to the task” by checking tyre pressure and tread, and levels of oil, coolant and screen wash. Properly inflated tyres can also improve fuel efficiency. With traffic expected to be intense, the RAC’s message to motorists is to “accept your fate a little bit, it’s going to be busy”. Leaving as early as possible, travelling during off-peak times and having a backup plan for weather changes or disruption are all recommended. For those considering alternatives, trains and coaches are also expected to be busy; booking advance train tickets can offer significant savings, while coach travel is a lower-cost but significantly longer option. Network Rail urges all passengers to check their journeys before setting out.
