More than 10m due to take to the roads at weekend

03 July 2020 | David Young

The easing of lockdown restrictions from 4 July will see the equivalent of more than 10m people getting away to make it the busiest weekend so far on roads in England, according to a survey by RAC Breakdown

More than 10m due to take to the roads at weekend

Understandably, driving to stay over with family or friends is the most popular option, with a fifth of drivers (19% – equivalent to 6.5m people) planning such a trip, but campsites also look set to finally receive their first significant volume of visits this year with 6% of respondents – or around 2m drivers – planning an overnight stay under the stars. Two per cent (680,000 drivers) plan on towing their caravans to a caravan site for a short break, while three per cent (1m) favour a stay in hotel, B&B or self-catering accommodation.

RAC Breakdown spokesperson Rod Dennis said:

"These figures suggest that after 15 weeks of lockdown, a large proportion of drivers in England are desperate to reconnect with friends, family and indeed nature by staying overnight, be that in a house or on a camping or caravan site.

"This could lead to some busy conditions on the roads, with the location of queues likely to be dependent on just how far people travel – motorways and major A-roads could end up taking the brunt of the traffic if people have longer distances to drive to see family and friends or to take a weekend break.

Source: RAC