See more Daily Mail on Google - save us as a Preferred SourceBy MARK DUELL, DEPUTY CHIEF REPORTER (DIGITAL) Published: 01:21 BST, 14 July 2026 | Updated: 03:02 BST, 14 July 2026
Drivers are being warned to expect the busiest summer holiday getaway on the roads in four years amid fears of a 'Saturday scramble' after the school term ends.The RAC estimates that 14.1million motorists will embark on journeys for holidays or day trips between Friday and Sunday, causing huge tailbacks on major routes.This is the second highest total in records back in 2016, beaten only by 18.8million in 2022 when the easing of pandemic restrictions sparked a surge in travel.Most schools in England and Wales break up at the end of this week or early next week. The academic year has already ended in Scotland and Northern Ireland.Saturday is expected to be the busiest day on the roads for getaway journeys, with 3.8million planned. Friday and Sunday will each see an estimated 3.4million.A further 6.8 million trips will be spread across the three-day period, with drivers unsure which exact day they will hit the road. The motoring organisation warned that south-west and north-west England are likely to see the most leisure traffic.Another 16.2million are expected to make holiday journeys between Monday and Thursday this week, as some people stagger their trips in a bid to beat the traffic.Transport analytics company Inrix said congestion hotspots are likely to include:The M1 southbound from Junction 16 (Northampton) to Junction 6 (Watford);The M25 clockwise from Junction 15 (the M4) to Junction 19 (Watford);The M25 anticlockwise from Junction 17 (Maple Cross) to Junction 12 (the M3);The M60 clockwise from Junction 7 (Altrincham) to Junction 18 (the M62); andThe M4 westbound from Junction 22 (Severn Crossing) to Junction 35 (Bridgend).
