Car insurance firm offers bank holiday tips

Posted :23-08-2007

Millions of Britons planning to take to the roads this bank holiday weekend should plan on queues and delays, it has been advised.

A survey from car insurance company esure shows that four million people are planning to take to the roads this bank holiday and that they will face on average delays of 90 minutes.

With the promise of better weather encouraging more people to make the most of what summer remains, those delays are going to be worse than at the last Whitsun bank holiday, esure claims.

Delays on the roads this weekend will last an average 15 minutes longer than during the last bank holiday period – despite traffic chaos leading half a million respondents who ventured out last time to declare that they will be staying at home instead.

Mike Pickard, head of risk and underwriting at esure, said: "Bank holiday weekends are often plagued with travel delays, traffic jams and airline cancellations and it's likely that this last one of the year will follow suit - especially if the sun manages to come out.

"Drivers should always check the travel news before setting off and ensure that their vehicle and its passengers are prepared for the journey. Plan routes with plenty of contingencies and take drinks, snacks, a mobile phone and plenty of in-car entertainment if there are kids on the backseat."

Road travellers get off lightly compared to those taking other modes of transport though.

The esure survey found that train travellers will face delays of one hour and 50 minutes, while air passengers will have to wait for two hours and 25 minutes.

This weekend's bank holiday is the last before Christmas.


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