With lockdown measures beginning to ease, traffic is expected to surge this Easter Bank Holiday, as millions of drivers look to dust off their cars and hit the roads.

The RAC has said that congestion isn’t going to be at the same levels as previous years, with many people remaining cautious and some places still closed because of the pandemic.

Despite this, there are approximately 600 planned engineering works set to go ahead, according to Network Rail. As a result, the Government has encouraged against travelling via rail, and therefore a survey by RAC found that around 5.6 million people are expected to take to the roads instead.

Beating the rush

Good Friday is predicted to be the busiest day for travel, but the following two weeks are also expected to be hectic as schools will be closed in some parts of England and there is a very real possibility of lockdown restrictions beginning to ease from 12th April.

This includes outdoor attractions and self-catering holiday accommodation. If this goes ahead, traffic data company, Inrix, has estimated that the roads will be most busy in London, Somerset and Wiltshire.

Drivers are now being advised to carry out essential checks before heading out, and travel should be minimised wherever possible.

Highways England traffic officer, Dave Harland, has said: ““Even though we should be minimising travel following the latest government advice, if you haven’t driven for a while due to lockdown, you might feel a bit strange getting back behind the wheel.

“Checking your tyres, oil, screenwash, lights and fuel doesn’t take long – but it will help keep you and your loved ones safe.”

Keep safe and enjoy the long Easter weekend!