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‘Midweek mayhem’ predicted on roads as UK prepares for 13.9m summer holiday getaway journeys

We're all going on a summer holiday.

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant - 22nd July 2025

This year’s summer getaway is expected to see the biggest number of midweek car trips made since records began.

Now that schools across Greater Manchester, and the rest of the UK, have either or are soon to break up for the summer holidays in the coming days, latest data released by The RAC has revealed that drivers are planning a whopping 13.9m journeys on UK roads before this Thursday (24 July).

Figures suggest that two million trips are planned today (Tuesday 22 June) when the majority of schools in England break up, with another two million each on Wednesday 23 and Thursday 24 respectively.

According to the figures, a larger number of drivers than ever are expected to head off on holiday at some point during the week, rather than waiting until the weekend to get away.

An additional 5.6m journeys are likely at some point between Monday and Thursday, but drivers haven’t decided on the date yet.

Woman driving a car
13.9m summer holiday getaway journeys are predicted this week / Credit: Peter Trimming (via Geograph) | Pxfuel

Following the midweek surge, the ‘end of summer term’ getaway weekend will be classically busy, it is predicted, with 2.7 million journeys planned on ‘Frantic Friday’ (25 July), the largest number of journeys on a single day, three million, set to take place on Saturday 26 July, and an additional 2.7 million trips expected on Sunday 27 July.

Again, 4.6 million are planned some point throughout the weekend on dates not yet decided, bringing the total number of journeys over the full getaway week to 26.9 million. 

Data from transport experts shows that the ‘midweek mayhem’ predicted will likely cause delays across many major routes, starting on Tuesday 22 July when most schools in England finish for summer.

Both the RAC and INRIX are advising those setting off at the weekend to travel as early or late as possible, because traffic is expected to be at its worst through the middle of the day.

UK drivers are being warned to prepare for ‘midweek mayhem’ / Credit: Mike Bird (via Pexels)

This means that anyone getting away on Friday or Sunday should try to start their trips before 10am or after 7pm, while Saturday drivers should consider heading out before 10am.

“Normally the weekend bears the brunt of getaway traffic, but this year we’re expecting ‘midweek mayhem’ as schools finish for summer,” commented RAC mobile servicing and repairs team leader, Nick Mullender.

“We typically see a peak on ‘Frantic Friday’ when holidaymakers share the roads with commuters heading home, but our figures indicate these trips will now be spread across several days with millions more weekday journeys planned.

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“To avoid the worst of the traffic, travel outside peak times and steer well clear of morning and evening rush hours.”

Featured Image – Geograph

News

Salford bus driver arrested for causing serious injury by careless driving after crashing into bridge

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant

The driver of a double decker bus that crashed into a bridge in Salford, ripping the roof off and injuring more than a dozen passengers in the process, has been arrested.

Greater Manchester Police‘s (GMP) Serious Collision Investigation Unit have launched an investigation into the serious road traffic collision between a bus and the Bridgewater Canal Aqueduct on Barton Lane in Salford, which happened at around 3pm yesterday (Monday 21 July), and are now appealing to the public for information and witnesses.

According to police, it is believed that the bus had come off its normal expected route and the driver then failed to comply with height restriction warnings, before subsequently colliding with a low-level aqueduct.

As a result, the top level of the bus was torn off and even caused member of the public to be ejected from the top deck of the bus.

Investigation launched after roof ripped off double decker bus in Salford
Bridgewater Canal Aqueduct in Eccles, where the incident happened / Credit: Google Maps

The driver of the bus – a man in his 50s – was arrested on suspicion of causing serious injury by careless driving, GMP has been confirmed.

The driver has since been bailed pending further investigations.

During the incident, three people – a 19-year-old female, and two men, one is his 20s and another in his 40s – sustained serious injuries, and currently remain in hospital in a stable condition, while 17 other casualties were also treated at the scene for injuries that are described as ‘non-life threatening or life-changing’.

With investigations ongoing, as mentioned, investigating officers are now appealing for anyone who may have witnessed the incident to come forward.

They are also keen to speak to anyone who may have any footage – including dashcam, mobile phone or doorbell footage – from the area in the moments leading up to the collision.

Anyone with any information is asked to contact police on 0161 856 4741, quoting log number 2226 of 21/07/2025, or being using the LiveChat function on the GMP website – www.gmp.police.uk.

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You can also report via Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.

Featured Image – Kiernan MB (via Unsplash)

News

A giant ‘carnival on bikes’ championing Black culture is coming to Manchester

Danny Jones Danny Jones Black Unity and Culture Bike Ride Manchester 2025

One of the biggest bike ride events in the country, dubbed a ‘carnival on wheels’, is coming to Manchester this year.

The Black Unity Bike Ride (BUBR) was set up in London following the murder of George Floyd, which took place on 25 May 2020 and set shockwaves around the world.

Now, as the event is looking to reach across the UK, the event celebrating Black culture, joy, empowerment and unity is coming to our city region and its surrounding areas for the first time ever.

It’s set to be a truly brilliant and inspiring event.

Teaming up with London Marathon Events (LME) once again, the mass participation veterans have been lending expertise since 2021, and now they’ve reached a new five-year agreement to help continue strengthening BUBR and, hopefully, create a national movement by setting up in two new cities.

Manchester marks the first stage of the Black Unity Bike Ride expansion, which will see thousands take to cycling from Alexandra Park in Moss Side on a 12-mile route through the city and back to the beautiful outdoor space.

Aiming to mirror the success of the flagship BUBR event down in the capital, Manc participants and supporters can expect a vibrant, ‘festival feel’ with pumping music throughout.

Back at Alexandra Park, there’ll be even a huge pop-up home base for the event, bringing together Greater Manchester’s Black community with a big food and vendor village, more music and an uplifting atmosphere all day long.

The inaugural Manchester event will come just a fortnight after the sixth annual edition of the founding Black Unity Bike Ride in London, which sees waves of cyclists take on 17 miles, starting at Leyton Sports Ground and finishing in Dulwich Park.

black unity bike ride manchester 2025
BUBR London
Credit: Black Unity Bike Ride Manchester (supplied)

Promising route leaders, cheer zones and pitstops on the route, plenty of music, not to mention various indie food and drink traders pulling from a wide range of different ethnicities and cuisines, it’s this kind of full-on festival energy that BUBR Manchester is striving to capture.

Once again, it’s a ‘carnival on wheels’.

BUBR MCR 2025 will take place on Sunday, 17 August, the birthday of Marcus Mosiah Garvey, a key political activist – the forefather of the ‘Garveyism ideology – as well as publisher, journalist and orator who has his own national day named after him in his home country of Jamaica.

He advocated for the empowerment and rights of African descendants and founded the Universal Negro Improvement Association and African Communities League (UNIA), in addition to organising America’s first-ever Black nationalist movement.

You can see the event documentary film, which chronicles last year’s Black Unity Bike Ride in full down below. It really is a moving watch – pardon the pun.

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It’s also worth noting that the Black Unity Bike Ride Fest is completely FREE, as the goal is to get as many people as possible. You can sign up

BUBR founder, Tokunbo Ajasa-Oluwa, said of the upcoming event: “What began as a bold idea on London’s streets has grown into a national movement. We are very excited to bring the event to Manchester, it has been an aspiration for a few years so we can’t wait until Sunday, 17 August.”

“BUBR has valued London Marathon Events’ support since 2021, and we are very proud to extend this relationship with a new five-year commitment. The partnership is a true statement of intent when it comes to community, inclusion and inspiring active lives.”

BUBR has been to Rwanda, South Africa, Ghana and more; Manchester is up next and there’ll be another new home in 2026.

For all the latest news, events and goings on in Greater Manchester, subscribe to The Manc newsletter HERE.

Featured Images — Press shots (supplied)

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