Millions of motorists set to hit the road over the extended Platinum Jubilee bank holiday weekend are being warned to expect delays.
With Queen Elizabeth II is set to mark 70 years on the throne from Thursday 2 – Sunday 5 June 2022, making her the first ever British monarch to reach this milestone, and the UK to get an extra bank holiday for the occasion, the RAC has said that about 19.5 million leisure trips by road will take place between Wednesday and Sunday as the nation prepares.
A survey of 1,460 drivers’ travel plans added that Friday is likely to be the most congested day on the roads and motorways across the UK.
This will see day-trippers combine with families returning home from half-term breaks.
RAC traffic spokesperson Rod Dennis said: “The fact the bank holidays coincide with the end of half-term in many places has the potential to put some extra pressure on the road network,” but he added “many appear keen to keep their car journeys short, perhaps mixing a daytrip or two with a Jubilee celebration at home”.
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Traffic information supplier Inrix is also advising drivers to set off either before 6am or after 3pm to avoid the worst of the traffic.
The RAC said that about 19.5 million leisure trips by road will take place between Wednesday and Sunday / Credit: NIC
It’s not all doom and gloom though, as around 37% of respondents to a separate RAC poll said that they will not be driving long distances over the weekend.
For those who are planning on travelling by road though, the RAC is urging drivers to carry out essential checks on their vehicles before setting off – such as making sure oil, coolant and screen wash levels are correct, and tyres are properly inflated and free from damage.
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“A bit of TLC now could make the difference between a straightforward trip and one beset by a breakdown,” said RAC traffic spokesperson Rod Dennis.
Elsewhere off the roads, the widespread engineering work that Network Rail normally carries out during bank holidays has been put on hold and nearly all major lines will remain open during the Jubilee celebrations, with Chief executive Andrew Haines saying it’s because the company “knows that demand will be high”.
Drivers are being advised set off either before 6am or after 3pm to avoid the worst of the traffic / Credit: Malc McDonald (via Geograph)
“Our station staff will be on hand to welcome passengers and help them with their journeys,” he assured travellers.
Meanwhile, UK airports will also be busy, with more than 10,000 flights departing between Thursday and Sunday, according to aviation data firm Cirium, which is a three-fold increase on the same period last year.
Featured Image – Flickr
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Andy Burnham announces five more ‘everyday fixes’ to make life easier for Brits ahead of Budget
Emily Sergeant
Ahead of the Autumn Budget, five more ‘everyday fixes’ have been announced in a bid to make life easier for millions of Brits.
Since becoming Prime Minister this summer, Andy Burnham has been rolling out a series of what he’s dubbed ‘everyday fixes’ as the cost of living crisis continues to make itself known nationwide – and now, with the Autumn Budget coming up today (28 October 2026), he has announced five more of these measures.
Unveiled by the Chancellor, the ‘fixes’ will support people with the cost of food, fuel, and family life, all to provide breathing space for households.
The package will tackle costs people face every day – from doing the weekly shop, to supporting people who rely on their cars for work, while extending support to new parents, and fixing an ‘unfair cliff edge’ that can penalise unpaid carers for earning more.
So, what are these ‘everyday fixes’ then? Here’s everything you need to know.
First up, it has been announced that the Government will be making higher tax-free mileage rates permanent, increasing support for millions of nurses, care workers, self employed builders, and others who drive for work along the way.
They will also be extending parental pay to more than 150,000 additional parents per year, including self-employed dads and partners who have previously missed out, which will give those eligible two weeks of support (currently worth up to £194 a week) so they can spend more time with their child.
The so-called Carer’s Allowance ‘cliff edge’ will also be coming to an end, so unpaid carers no longer lose their entire allowance simply for earning a penny over the Weekly Earnings Limit.
Andy Burnham has announced five more ‘everyday fixes’ to make life easier for Brits / Credit: Number 10 Downing Street | Aldi
Import tariffs will be removed on more than 100 products – including baked beans, chocolate, and gherkins – which, together with the tariff suspensions already introduced, means households could save up to £21 on their food shop each year.
And finally, hundreds more Post Office drop boxes are set to be rolled out in a bid to make it ‘easier’ and ‘more convenient’ for people to send and return parcels without having to queue at a Post Office counter.
“We are taking on the big challenges facing the country,” explained Prime Minister Andy Burnham, in a statement ahead of the Budget. “But that doesn’t mean losing sight of the everyday problems that cost people money or simply aren’t fair.
“And at Wednesday’s Budget, we’ll go further to give families and businesses the breathing space they need today, while we build a stronger economy, transform our country and bring down cost for people long-term.”
Featured Image – Aldi
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Met Office gives verdict on how Storm Boelo aftermath will affect Greater Manchester this week
Emily Sergeant
Storm Boelo is finally on his way out, and now the Met Office has given its verdict on what we can expect from the rest of the week.
In the aftermath of two successive storms, Storm Austen followed by Storm Boelo – the latter of which affected Greater Manchester – the UK is now able to begin recovering from the effects of the adverse weather.
But the Met Office has warned that, although there is no named storm, strong winds and heavy rain will continue to affect parts of the UK early this week, before high pressure brings calmer conditions.
Yellow national severe weather warnings are in place for parts of Scotland and western areas of the UK today (Tuesday 27 October), including areas of the North West, as gales and spells of rain bring the potential for ongoing disruption around the region, particularly on exposed coasts and higher ground.
“The continued winds could hamper recovery efforts in some places,” forecasters also unfortunately confirmed.
⚠️ Strong winds and heavy rain continue across parts of the UK early this week with a yellow weather warning in place, before high pressure brings calmer conditions for many from Wednesday ⛅
Read our news release to find out more 👇
https://t.co/EQU4vvaA3B https://t.co/hpvTd8v7EZ
As rest of the week pans out though, conditions will begin to settle down and showers are expected to become ‘less frequent’, while winds also ease for most, although gales could continue for a time in the far north.
Thursday is expected be ‘largely dry’ with lighter winds and variable cloud, with a touch of mist and fog likely across parts of England and Wales during the morning.
From Friday and into the weekend, light rain will team up to potentially affect northwestern areas of England, but for the most part, temperatures are expected to remain close to, or slightly above, average for the time of year.
“From Wednesday, high pressure will start to build which will ease the winds and bring a quieter and largely drier end to the week for many, although some rain is still possible in the North and West,” explained Met Office Deputy Chief Forecaster, Steven Keates.
“However, with wind warnings in place, those in warnings areas, particularly in northern Scotland and western high ground, continue to be exposed to strong winds and heavy rain before the more settled weather arrives.”
Emily Sergeant -
30th May 2022 
