Drivers may bank on holiday mayhem

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Congested motorways will cause travel misery as up to 14.1 million Brits take to the road for the second May Bank Holiday, according to esure car insurance2.

Nearly half of all Brits (42 per cent) are expected to hit the road from Friday afternoon as people head off for the long weekend, with close to one in three (30 per cent) of those who usually fly to their Bank Holiday destination choosing to travel by car.

As the ash cloud and British Airways strikes continue to cause worries around disruption to UK skies, the research predicts that roads near to ports will be amongst the worst affected with nearly 1 in 10 (9 per cent) of those polled planning to travel by ferry or boat this Bank Holiday weekend.

Dover is expected to be the worst hit with the majority of Brits choosing to use the port to make their Bank Holiday escape (41 per cent), closely followed by Portsmouth (16 per cent), Southampton (11 per cent) and Folkestone (11 per cent).

Proving that Brits are more than used to a wait behind the wheel during public holidays, the study found that the average motorist manages to keep their cool for an impressive two hours and 12 minutes before losing their rag. Women are more tolerant when it comes to traffic jams and delays, clocking in at two hours 18 minutes compared to men who say their journey is ruined if they have to wait any longer than two hours six minutes.

Mike Pickard, Head of Risk and Underwriting at esure, said: "Traffic delays are the staple diet of Brits travelling over the Bank Holiday weekend, but the recent ash cloud and planned strike disruptions could leave motorists facing more traffic and an even longer wait as more stay at home or head to ferry ports.

Drivers should be sure to explore all their options during the Bank Holiday weekend when travelling and seek alternative routes to keep both their patience and the holiday spirit in place."

How brave motorists plan to deal with this weekend’s traffic chaos3:

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Notes to Editors:

  1. 42 per cent of total UK motorists based on DfT Transport Statistics - 33,522,106 motor vehicles currently licensed 2006. This is a projected figure based on the 1,000 motorists surveyed.
  2. esure used the independent online research company FlyResearch who surveyed 1,000 adults from across the country aged 18 and over, between on 28th April 2010. Fly Research is an online market research company. Its researchers are members of the MRS and Esomar, and abide by their guidelines. Further information at www.flyresearch.com.
  3. esure used the independent research company ICM which interviewed a random sample of 1004 adults aged 18 and over between 8th - 10th May 2009. Interviews were conducted across the country and the results have been weighted to the profile of all adults. ICM is a member of the British Polling Council and abides by its rules. Further information at www.icmresearch.co.uk.