Major roads across the UK could be hit by traffic jams this coming bank holiday as drivers make the most of the long weekend and above average temperatures.

This coming Friday could be the worst day as getaway traffic vies for space with commuters

Some 19.2 million separate leisure car trips are expected to take place between this Friday and the end of bank holiday Monday, the highest number since before the coronavirus pandemic, a new study by the RAC and Inrix indicates.

RAC analysis of 2,138 drivers’ plans for the last nationwide bank holiday before the end of August suggests high levels of traffic across Saturday, Sunday and Monday, with around 3.3 million journeys each day.

But this Friday (26 May) may be the busiest, combining a projected three million getaway trips with commuting rush hour.

A further 6.3 million trips are expected to be taken at some point over the four days – all making it potentially the busiest late May bank holiday since 2019.

RAC Breakdown spokesman Rod Dennis said: “It’s clear drivers’ desire to getaway has been reignited, with our figures for this coming weekend suggesting leisure traffic volumes will be close to what we last saw in 2019.

“With the Met Office currently predicting largely settled weather with above average temperatures, we’re expecting this to be a hectic period on major roads as people aim to make the most of the last long weekend before August – and that means it will be a busy time for our patrols too.”

The M25 is likely to be a hotspot for traffic jams over the weekend, according to Inrix, with journeys on some stretches – including clockwise from J23 for Hatfield to J28 for Chelmsford and anticlockwise towards the Dartford crossing – taking up to three times longer than normal. Delays are also expected on the M5 in Somerset and M6 in Cheshire and Greater Manchester.