Driving home on Easter Monday could take up to five times longer than usual

News provided by

INRIX

26 Mar, 2013, 05:00 GMT

-- INRIX advises drivers to check traffic before they travel as report reveals Easter holidaymakers returning from the South West could be caught in delays of up to 2 hours

LONDON, March 26, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- INRIX, the world leading traffic analysts, today released a predictive report on congestion hotspots to avoid in the UK this Easter weekend(1). As millions of drivers take to the roads research reveals motorists travelling to popular holiday destinations in the South West and North West of England will face the longest delays.

Holidaymakers returning from the South West on Easter Monday could be worst hit, with traffic building heavily from 11a.m. and peaking at 4p.m. when travellers could face up to two hours delay on a typical 30 minute journey between junction 20 and junction 15 of the M5.

Meanwhile, thrill seekers heading to popular theme parks Thorpe Park and Alton Towers may face a much slower ride home, with troublesome bottlenecks and holiday traffic combining on the M6 and M25 to create double the normal congestion levels. Worse still, drivers heading home through J11-J14 on the M25 on Easter Monday could face delays up to 11 times longer than normal.

Greg Hallsworth, INRIX Chief Traffic Analyst offered advice to travellers: "Remember, the shortest route is not always the fastest! To bypass gridlock this Easter drivers must check traffic news before they travel and rather than depending on a SatNav to provide the quickest route. Travelers can check the INRIX traffic app or tune into their local radio station for traffic bulletins powered by INRIX to check what really lies ahead."  

Below is a snapshot of travel hotspots this Easter:

Maundy Thursday: Midlands Travellers should avoid M6 traffic peak from 16:00 – 18:00

  • The M6 in the Midlands will be the worst hit on Maundy Thursday where drivers are likely to experience journey times double if not triple the average. 
  • Meanwhile, further north up the M6, drivers should allow for at least a 10 minute delay on top of a 30 minute journey.

Good Friday: Traffic builds from 10:00 and peaks at Midday

  • On Friday, the London exodus really begins, with traffic in the South East expected to reach its peak between 11:30 and 13:30.
  • During peak hours drivers using the south west quadrant of the M25 could face 56 minutes of extra travel time on a route that would take 30 minutes in normal conditions.
  • Drivers travelling through the West Country should aim to leave before 11 a.m. or after 4 p.m.

Easter Monday: Holidaymakers should avoid congestion by leaving before 10 a.m.

  • Congestion in the South West will build from 11:00 and peak at 16:00 when a typical 30 minute trip could take as much as 2 hours more. 
  • In the North West traffic is expected to peak slightly later from 12:00 – 16:00 as travellers return from the Lake District to the Midlands. 
  • Thrill seekers heading to Thorpe Park via the M25 between junctions 11 and 14 may have a much slower end to their day, with congestion levels increasing 11 fold on Easter Monday. 

For more traffic and travel information online go to inrixtravelradio.org, download the TuneIn radio app and look up INRIX Travel Radio or simply download the the free INRIX Traffic smartphone app at  - http://www.inrixtraffic.com/.

About INRIX

INRIX® is a leading traffic intelligence platform delivering smart data and advanced analytics to solve transportation issues worldwide. INRIX analyzes real-time data from a variety of sources including traditional road sensors, official accident and incident reports as well as a crowd-sourced network providing real-time data from actual vehicles and to deliver traffic and driving-related insight, as well as sophisticated analytical tools and services, across six industries in 32 countries.

With more than 200 customers and partners including the BBC, Audi, ADAC, ANWB, BMW, Ford Motor Company, the I-95 Coalition, MapQuest, Microsoft, O2, Tele Atlas, Telmap, Toyota and Vodafone, INRIX's real-time traffic information and traffic forecasts help drivers save time every day. 

(1)The INRIX Delay Index is a standardised scale used to measure congestion. An Index of 100 means that journey times will be double those in normal traffic conditions.