AA issues first ever amber traffic warning: Here's why, and how to dodge the queues
Officials expect delays up to 8 hours as UK roads are set to be jam packed
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2022 has certainly brought us plenty of extremes... Barely a few days since the UK had its hottest day on record, the AA has now issued its first-ever amber traffic warning. For motorists, the weekend ahead is set to be a hot and very busy one. Here's why.
The AA has predicted traffic queues that keep people held up for as long as eight (!) hours, due to a combination of rail strikes and England's Euros football success, which have both fallen as the holiday season enters one of its busiest periods. And this is on top of the record-breaking traffic that's been queuing at the Port of Dover for several weeks now.
On both Saturday and Sunday, traffic is set to peak between 11am and 3pm as sports fans - eager to see England's Lionnesses beat Germany in the Euros final at Wembley, or to catch the Commonwealth games action in Birmingham - and holidaymakers make their way up and down the UK.
Busiest roads this weekend
With all things combined, we're expecting queues up and down the UK, but the AA has singled out a handful of roads that are expected to be particularly chock-a-block - and therefore ones you should avoid.
The worst traffic jams are expected to be in the South East, at the Port of Dover and the Eurotunnel in Folkestone. These have been gridlock hotspots for several weeks now.
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Holiday hotspots, Devon and Cornwall, are also expected to attract queues, along the M5, A303 and A30.
Unfortunately, the list doesn't stop there... Beware of being caught up in traffic on the M25, Bristol M4/M5 junction, M6, M42, M1 and M62. Ouch.
How to prepare for the traffic
But it's not all doom and gloom. If you set off well outside 11am and 3pm, there's a good chance you'll beat the queues.
To be extra safe, we'd advise checking over your car to make sure it's in tip top shape. Traffic on a summer's day can be hot work for a car, as it has to work harder to stay at the correct temperature without the help of fastmoving airflow.
Handily, we have plenty of advice already available, like this safety check guide here.
By George Boulton