- But drivers are sticking closer to home
- More than 13 million to hit the holiday trail but 18 million
say they will drive at some stage
- AA says check your car before travelling
- ‘Spot the number plate’ car game gets a green upgrade
Bank holiday road trips are expected to return to pre-pandemic
levels this weekend but fewer travellers than normal will be
going for the long drives, AA research has revealed*.
Feedback from 14,759 AA members last week showed that 42% have
planned or have in mind a bank holiday getaway. That points to
13.3 million cars on road trips celebrating the end of summer.
That percentage is significantly up on the 37% of bank holiday
road trippers last year but back to where the UK was in 2019.
Overall, also taking into account those who will be doing normal
weekend travel, UK roads will have to cope with 18.4 million cars
on the move at some stage of the three days.
Where pandemic-related life patterns continue to cast a shadow is
the much reduced level of long journeys this bank holiday.
In 2019, 23% set out on road trips of 50 miles or more whereas,
this year, it’s down to 13%. Last August bank holiday, it was
just 9%.
Spot the Green Number Plate
One new feature of bank holiday car trips will be the chance to
upgrade the ‘Spot the Number Plate’ game that has entertained
children for generations. Unlike last August, green number plates
that 200,000 electric cars have been eligible to use since
December will now be cropping up out on the open road**.
As each family has their own rules for the number plate game, we
will leave them to decide whether the plates earn bonus points or
win a round outright.
Check your cars
The AA will have extra patrols on duty in staycation hotspots,
but is urging drivers to check their cars before
they leave. Drivers should pay extra attention to the tyres,
checking the condition, tread depth and pressures, as well as
checking levels for engine oil and washer fluid.
Battery issues, tyre faults and keys locked in the car are some
of the most common reasons for drivers to call the AA for help
during summer.
“Weather is always a big decider on where people spend their bank
holiday. However, AA research suggests that local traffic may be
heavier this time,” says Edmund King, the AA’s
president.
“There are likely to be big delays on the roads where holiday
traffic mixes with sporting or shopping day trippers. Drivers are
advised to check their cars before venturing out. We also think
that families might want to play ‘spot the green number plate’ as
a modern day version of the I-spy number plate game. My green
plate will be on the road this Saturday.
“Covid’s disruption to people’s lives is still noticeable in the
10% fewer long-distance trippers this August. The drop in longer
trips might be due to the difficulty in booking accommodation
away from home due to more families taking their holidays in the
UK.
“Journeys have not yet returned to pre-lockdown patterns.
Certainly, government statistics show that car travel since the
easing of restrictions has been edging towards 95% of
pre-pandemic levels – but that is with public transport use still
way down on what it was before Covid. September and the expected
return of more people to offices will be a huge pointer to how
much the coronavirus has changed the way we live, work and
travel.”
Families on the road this summer can get a heads-up on traffic
problems using AA route planner and can
find nearby parking spaces, petrol stations and EV charge points
using the AA app, which can also be used to report a breakdown
and save money on days out.
ENDS
NOTES TO EDITORS
*AA-Yonder survey of 14,778 members between 10th – 17th August
2021. Yonder is a member of the British Polling Council and
abides by its rules.
**Green number plate information: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/road-to-zero-in-sight-as-green-number-plates-introduced-on-uk-roads
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/985933/veh0203.ods
