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.
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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.
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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.
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“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.
“To avoid the worst of the traffic, travel outside peak times and steer well clear of morning and evening rush hours.”
Featured Image – Geograph
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Spike in antisemitic incidents reported after Manchester synagogue terror attack
Emily Sergeant
A new report has revealed that there was a rise in antisemitic incidents reported following the Manchester synagogue terror attack.
In case you need a reminder, the shocking knife and car attack took place on 2 October 2025 on Yom Kippur – the holiest day in the Jewish calendar – at the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue, and during the incident, two men sadly lost their lives during the attack – Adrian Daulby, 53, who was shot dead by Greater Manchester Police (GMP) while trying to stop the attacker from entering the synagogue, and Melvin Cravitz, 66, a worshipper who also helped stop the attacker.
The attacker was named as 35-year-old Jihad al Shamie – a 35-year-old British citizen of Syrian descent who lived in Prestwich – who at the time was on bail for an alleged rape, before being shot dead by police.
In the wake of the attack, the Community Security Trust (CST), which monitors antisemitism in the UK, said 40 antisemitic incidents were reported on 2 October last year, and a further 40 were reported the day after – more than half of which involved direct reactions to the deadly attack.
These were the highest daily totals in 2025.
A spike in antisemitic incidents were reported after the Manchester synagogue terror attack / Credit: Google Maps | GMP
Three of the reported incidents on 2 and 3 October involved ‘face-to-face taunting and celebration of the attack to Jewish people’, according to the CST.
39 of the reported incidents were antisemitic social media posts referencing the attack, abusive responses to public condemnations of the attack from Jewish organisations and individuals, or antagonistic emails sent to Jewish people and institutions.
The Manchester synagogue attack was the first fatal antisemitic terror attack in the UK since the CST started recording incidents in 1984.
Overall, 3,700 anti-Jewish hate incidents were recorded in 2025 – which is said to be up 4% on the incidents recorded in the year before – and the CST revealed that this the second-highest annual total ever recorded.
There was also a spike in reported anti-Jewish hate incidents following the Bondi Beach killings in Sydney in December of last year too, the CST said.
Dave Rich, who is the director of police at CST, told Sky News in a statement: “We need a more robust approach to the kind of extremism that drives antisemitism.
“Jewish people in Britain used to be able to go about their lives without ever thinking about antisemitism, and now it’s the topic of conversation around every dinner table. That’s new.
“It feels for a lot of Jewish people like we’re in a different world now, the atmosphere is different, the climate has changed for Jewish people and the amount of antisemitism is part of that.”
Featured Image – GMP
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Trailer released for new romcom Finding Emily set and filmed all across Manchester
Emily Sergeant
The first trailer for a new romcom that’s set and filmed all across Manchester has been released.
The film, titled Finding Emily, tells the story of a lovesick musician, played by Spike Fearn, who meets his dream girl on a night out, but ends up with the wrong phone number, and so teams up with a driven psychology student, played by Angourie Rice, in a bid to find her.
Together, the unlikely duo spark a hilarious campus-wide frenzy that tests their own hearts and ambitions along the way.
The film – which is directed by Alicia MacDonald, and based on a screenplay written by Rachel Hirons – is produced by Working Title Films, is set in the fictional Manchester City University, and is due to be distributed by Focus Features and Universal Pictures across the UK and internationally this spring.
The talented ensemble cast groups together big names like Minnie Driver with rising stars like Ella Maisy Purvis, Yali Topal Margalith, and Kat Ronney, as well as other established actors including Timothy Innes and Nadia Parkes.
Filming took place in Manchester between August and September 2024.
The two and a half-minute trailer has been shared with the world today, and when we say it’s a Manc film, we mean it… we quite literally lost count of how many of our city’s famous locations can be spotted in just the trailer alone.
The trailer has been released for new romcom Finding Emily set and filmed in Manchester / Credit: Universal Pictures & Focus Features (via YouTube)
There’s everything from Manchester Central Library and Piccadilly Records, to Canal Street and the Gay Village, the Northern Quarter, the Crown & Kettle pub in Ancoats, and even the Emmeline Pankhurst statue in St Peter’s Square featured for all to see, alongside what’ll, presumably, be dozens of other famous locations.
Oh, and not to mention, if you keep your eyes peeled when watching the trailer, you can even see a small clip of Stockport band Blossoms playing a gig in there too.
Emily Sergeant -
22nd July 2025 
