The extra-long Jubilee bank holiday weekend will see drivers make an estimated 19.5m leisure journeys by car, research from RAC Breakdown suggests.

Drivers are being advised to set off as early as possible or delay their journeys to avoid Jubilee bank holiday jams

In the region of 3.6m leisure trips by car are expected to be made on the Friday bank holiday (3 June), according to a study of 1,460 drivers’ travel plans, as day-trippers combine with families making their way back home at the end of the half term break. Bank holiday Thursday is likely to be the next busiest day (3.3m) followed by both Saturday and the Wednesday preceding the bank holidays (2.6m each day). An additional 5m will use their cars at some point over the full five days, boosting the overall numbers of cars clogging the roads.

Transport experts INRIX predict that traffic conditions could be worst in the mornings of the bank holidays and advise drivers to set off as early as possible or delay their trips until much later in the day to skip any jams. The M25, southbound M5, A303 and A720 Edinburgh city bypass are all highlighted as roads to watch for potential delays.

RAC traffic spokesman Rod Dennis said: “Drivers clearly see a double bank holiday this close to the summer as a gift with so millions eager to make the most of it – although many appear keen to keep their car journeys short, perhaps mixing a daytrip or two with a Jubilee celebration at home. The fact the bank holidays coincide with the end of half-term in many places has the potential to put some extra pressure on the road network, so planning a journey carefully is important to beat the worst of any queues.”