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Bank holiday weekends are synonymous with traffic congestion as people make the most of the extra day off work.
TomTom has conducted traffic research in to the most popular roads and revealed the best times to plan to travel.
Historic records of previous bank holidays show that on average, most roads enjoy lighter traffic after 7pm on Friday, before 9am on Saturday and before 11am on Monday. For Londoners travelling to the coast, the M23 between Caterham and Brighton also showed less congestion after Saturday before 10am and after 3pm on Monday while those intending on travelling on the M1 should wait until after 8pm on Monday.
A TomTom spokesperson said “The technology to plan the best routes with live traffic information for any journey already exists. We want to help people better understand how to use it and to ensure they spend less time at standstill and more time doing the things they love most”.
TomTom tips to help you enjoy a stress free journey this bank holiday this weekend include:
1) Plan your route the night before and check for any unexpected delays just before you depart (e.g. road closures) https://www.tomtom.com/en_gb/traffic-news/cities (select your home city)
2) Avoid travelling at peak times – try leaving the house early in the morning and returning from your trip late at night
3) Always allow extra time for your journey so you arrive on time, even in the event of a delay
4) Update your TomTom device to ensure you have the most recent traffic information
Please see below a more extensive list of the UK’s most popular routes, including the best times to travel. If you have any questions on any of the research findings or would be interested in speaking to a TomTom spokesperson do get in touch.
Best times to travel:
| M23/A23 – between Caterham and Brighton
| · Friday before 3PM or after 7PM · Saturday before 10AM or after 3PM · Monday before 10AM or after 3PM |
| M5 – between Exeter and Bristol
| · Friday before noon or after 9PM · Saturday all day · Monday before 11AM or after 7PM. |
| A354 – between Salisbury and Weymouth
| · Friday before 2PM and after 6PM · Saturday before 9AM or after 3PM · Monday before 10AM or after 5PM |
| M2 – between Maidstone to Dover
| · Friday any time except 4PM-6PM · Saturday any time except 12PM-1PM · Monday any time except 4PM-6PM |
| M25 – between St Albans and Leatherhead(Southbound)
| · Friday before 9AM, 10AM-1PM and after 7PM · Saturday before 10AM or after 3PM · Monday all day |
| M25 – between St Albans and Leatherhead(Northbound)
| · Friday before 1PM or after 8PM · Saturday before 10AM or after 4PM · Monday all day |
| M1 – between Luton and Sheffield
| · Friday before 11AM or after 7PM · Saturday before 10AM or after 2PM · Monday before 3PM or after 8PM |
| M6 – between Preston and Penrith | · Friday all day except 4PM-8PM · Saturday all day except 10AM-1PM · Monday all day except 11AM-3PM |
| M40 – between Uxbridge and Oxford | · Friday before noon and after 7PM (there still are delays between 7AM and noon) · Saturday before 9AM or after 5PM · Monday before 3PM or after 8PM |
| A303 – between Andover and Yeovil | · Friday before 11AM or after 7PM · Saturday before 9AM or after 4PM · Monday before noon or after 8PM |
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