-
Half as many journeys by car planned this bank holiday
compared to last year
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Majority of drivers planning on staying local
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Appetite for journeys has waned compared to last
weekend, with two-thirds of drivers not planning any leisure
trips at all
Drivers are planning just
under 10m separate leisure journeys by car this coming bank
holiday weekend, half the number compared to last year and the
fewest for the long weekend since the RAC first started tracking
trips, new research suggests.*
Around two-thirds of drivers (68%) say they
don’t expect to get in the car at all for recreational purposes
over the weekend. Among drivers who do plan on taking the car
out, half of the trips taken won’t be more than 10 miles in
length – suggesting the weekend will be one more characterised by
trips to local parks, garden centres and stay-at-home
barbecues.
The research also suggests interest in using
the car to visit beaches, national parks and other beauty spots
is considerably lower than just a week ago. Last weekend, drivers
said they were planning in the region of 15m separate trips – a
figure that has fallen to just 9.4m for the forthcoming weekend,
even when bank holiday Monday is taken into
account.
Fifteen per cent of respondents said they plan
on driving no more than 10 miles this weekend, with about half
that proportion (8%) expecting to take a trip of between 11 and
30 miles. The appetite for a lengthier leisure journey of more
than 30 miles was even smaller, with just 3% of respondents keen
on doing this.
After fears last weekend that national parks
and other traditionally popular tourist destinations could be
swamped by day trippers, the research provides an indication that
the vast majority of drivers remain very cautious about heading
further afield for recreation – not least with the vast majority
of amenities, including public toilets, remaining
shut.
Analysis of RAC ‘black box’ driving data
confirms that more cars are on the road now than before the
lockdown in England was eased – on average 4% more per day last
week compared to the week before, with vehicles travelling 12%
more daily miles. The number of breakdowns attended by the RAC
also rose by around a fifth over this
period.
RAC spokesperson Rod Dennis said: “This weekend
will be anything but a traditional sunny bank holiday weekend,
and in fact nationally it could turn out to be the quietest on
the motorways and major roads ever, with our research indicating
people are much keener to stay at home than pack the car up for a
day trip. Of course, there will still almost certainly be jams on
local roads leading to beaches, country parks and other beauty
spots, probably made up of people who live within very easy reach
of these destinations.
“While it’s true that some car parks in popular
locations were quick to fill up last weekend, it was positive to
see that many of the fears around people swarming to tourist
destinations thankfully didn’t translate into widespread
problems. Tourist boards and the police will be hoping for
something similar this coming weekend.
“Despite the promise of more good weather in
the coming days, our research suggests the appetite among drivers
for longer day trips appears to remain relatively weak at the
moment – possibly due to most tourist amenities being closed, or
even perhaps because of fears about the difficulty in maintaining
social distancing where there are crowds. So this weekend looks
more likely to be one more dominated by barbecues at home and
short trips to local parks than lengthy traffic jams on major
roads – although anyone who does venture out will have the peace
of mind of knowing that we’re only a phone call away if they’re
unfortunate enough to break down.
“For those planning on driving this weekend,
it’s crucial they run through some quick checks to ensure their
car doesn’t let them down – especially if it’s been laid up for
long periods through the lockdown. Oil and coolant levels, as
well as tyre tread and pressure, should all be looked at before
setting out.
“Our own data confirms that more cars are on
the road now than before the lockdown was eased in England, with
the number breakdowns also up, but with the possibility of some
movement restrictions being lifted in other parts of the UK we
will be looking closely at whether this trend continues in the
coming weeks, or whether road traffic remains below normal for
the foreseeable future.”
Ends
Notes to
Editors
* Research conducted among UK drivers between
14 and 19 May 2020 on behalf of the RAC. Sample: 1,500 UK
drivers. Spring bank holiday
research was first conducted by the RAC in
2014.
