Manchester bank holiday travel: busiest roads, best & worst times to travel plus trains & Manchester airport

This weekend sees the first of three bank holidays in May and road experts predict it will be busier on our highways than on the following bank holiday weekend.

Motoring organisation the RAC has predicted 17.2m leisure trips will be made on the roads between this Friday (28 April) and the early May bank holiday Monday, more than over the King’s coronation bank holiday next weekend, when more folk are predicted to stay home to watch the royal occasion on TV.

Roads are expected to be busiest on Friday afternoon when drivers going away for the weekend will meet commuter traffic - with warnings average journey times on busy routes may double. Drivers are being advised to travel before 11am on Friday or in the evening after rush-hour to avoid the worst tailbacks.

Data company Inrix highlighted following locations as hotspots for congestion over the bank holiday period: the M5 southbound between Junction 15 (Bristol) and Junction 23 (Taunton), as well as the M6 northbound from Junction 18 (Chester) to Junction 24 (Liverpool).

RAC Breakdown spokesman Rod Dennis said: “The weather might still be unseasonably chilly but this won’t stop drivers getting out and about over the double bank holiday weekends to make the most of some extra days off.

“If temperatures finally increase and the sun makes more of an appearance, we could well see many more people jumping in the car for a quick trip. “In order to avoid any disappointment caused from cars letting their everyone on board down, we urge drivers to check tyres, oil and coolant levels as matters of priority before they hit the road.”

Bank holiday trains from Manchester

Train travellers planning a getaway have also been warned of more than 600 sets of engineering work being carried out this weekend. London Euston will be closed on Sunday, adding several hours to many long-distance journeys. Travellers from Manchester to Euston will divert via Milton Keynes, Bedford and St Pancras, with those wishing to get to Euston advised to get the Tube.

Travellers are advised to check with National Rail before making a trip.

Manchester Airport bank holiday travel

The airport is expecting a busy weekend for travel, but says during the last spell of school holidays over the Easter break, 99% of passengers got through security checks in under 15 minutes. Fridays and Mondays are usually the busiest days for travelling at bank holidays and travellers are reminded to allow plenty of time to check in and to ensure their carry-on bags comply with all the regulations at security checks.

An airport spokesman said: “We’d advise passengers to allow plenty of time for their journey to the airport, check public transport services are running as scheduled if they’re travelling here by bus or train, and arrive at the earliest time their airline recommends (this is normally two hours before departure for short-haul flights and three hours for long-haul). They don’t need to arrive earlier than this. Passengers with special assistance requirements (e.g. those with mobility issues) should book assistance through their airline in advance.”