Joy
Drivers advised to check traffic before they travel as Easter holidaymakers could be caught in queues twice as long as last year
INRIX have today released information on the congestion hotspots drivers should avoid in the UK this Easter weekend.
The leading global provider of transportation information, analytics and driver services for the connected car and smart cities worldwide, have warned that as the UK experiences major railway engineering works, increasing numbers of cars on the roads and Brits making their way to their holiday destinations, the worst-affected congestion hotspots in the South East and South West could be twice as busy compared to last year.
With foreign holidays on the rise again, travellers heading to Gatwick and Heathrow airports on Thursday could face up to four times the standard journey time with a typical 30-minute journey around the western section of the M25 taking up to two hours, and remaining congested for much of the day. Those making the most of the British countryside are expected to experience delays of up to an hour on the M4 between Hampshire and the West Country.
In the Capital, Londoners should be prepared for significant congestion on the A406 North Circular Road at South Woodford and around Vauxhall due to closures and increased traffic on the roads, as well as closures on London’s overground rail and Tube lines.
The majority of delays will be focused around London but extra traffic on the roads will affect congestion up and down the country.
As expected, Londoners wanting to escape the capital will feel face some of the longest delays. If you must travel at the busiest times, our advice is to use the alternative routes we have outlined below:
The best times to travel to avoid the queues:
| DATE | BEST TRAVEL TIMES | BUSIEST TRAVEL TIMES |
| Maundy Thursday | Between 10am and 12pm | Between 4pm and 6pm |
| Good Friday | Before 10am and after 5pm | 12pm |
| Easter Monday | Before 10am and after 6pm | 11am to 5pm |
The top 10 hotspots to avoid and alternative routes this Easter weekend are:
| ROUTE | DELAY | ALTERNATIVE ROUTES |
| M25 between J9 and J21 (both directions) | 2 hours | Non-M’way routes |
| M5 Southbound between J14 and Weston-super-Mare | 90 minutes | A-roads around Bristol |
| A34 between Abingdon and M40 | 1 hour | A419 & A429 |
| M4 between London & West Country | 1 hour | M3 |
| M1 between J25 and J30 | 1 hour | A6 |
| A55 Westbound between Chester and Conwy | 1 hour | None |
| M11 between M25 & Stansted | 30 minutes | A1(M) or A10 |
| M6 between J10a and J8 | 30 minutes | M6 Toll |
| A303 Andover to Amesbury | 30 minutes | A36 and A338 |
| A1 between Chester-le-Street and Gosforth Park | 25 minutes | A19 Tyne Tunnel |
Will you be travelling this weekend or will be you be staying in your cave ready to be resurrected for the working week on Tuesday?
