Millions of cars drive potential ‘staycation’ road chaos - Car Rental News
Millions of cars drive potential ‘staycation’ road chaos
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Car Rental News - 25/08/2011
Some 16 million vehicles will hit British highways, leading to nightmare travel over the Bank holiday weekend.
Poor weather, railway disruption and huge numbers of cars stuck in miserable tailbacks look set to herald the start of yet another great British getaway this weekend, as the rising trend for so-called ‘staycations’ adds to the likelihood that millions of Britons will was hours just trying to get to their holiday destinations. Not only are works scheduled for UK railways but a strike is threatened against Eurotunnel rail services.
The still-stumbling economy, a week pound and rising fuel prices have led increasing numbers of UK holidaymakers to avoid heading abroad this year, fueling an expanding business in ‘staycations’, where people elect to remain in the UK instead of jetting off to foreign destinations. This could backfire on many, however, with more than 15 million vehicles expected to take to the roads for the Bank Holiday.
Several festivals and sporting events are taking place this weekend, meaning more people than ever are likely to be trying to get around the country. Many will be heading to London for the Notting Hill Carnival and in Reading, fans have already been arriving to find a soggy festival ground, following heavy rain this week.
The UK’s Meteorological Office has warned that this weekend should see plenty of rain and chilly temperatures throughout the country. On the roads, many road works should be completed by the weekend, with others suspended during the break.
Nearly two dozen other sets of road works will continue, however, and motoring organizations say roads heading for the coast and around places hosting key events, like the music festivals at Leeds and Reading, are likely to experience heavy traffic.
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