Great getaway begins TODAY with 14.1million drivers hitting the road this weekend as schools close for summer holidays

THE great summer getaway has begun as more than 14.1million drivers hit the road with schools breaking up for the holidays. Families are making a dash for beaches, campsites and holiday parks in what is expected to be one of the busiest weekends ever on Britain’s roads. Heavy traffic this morning on the A40 in Perivale, west London, as the summer holiday getaway continues Credit: LNP Traffic arriving at the Port of Dover in Kent this morning Credit: PA The RAC said this weekend will be the second busiest summer escape since its records began. Only the post-Covid rush in 2022, when 18.8million people travelled, has seen more holiday traffic. Sign up for The Sun newsletter Thank you! Saturday is expected to be the busiest day of all, with around 3.8million journeys are forecast, making it the worst day to travel. Another 3.4million trips are expected today and further 3.4million journeys are predicted on Sunday. Busy Terminal 5 at London’s Heathrow Airport as the summer getaway startsCredit: Refer to source Brits flock to Heathrow Airport as the summer holidays officially get underwayCredit: Refer to source Traffic experts have warned of long queues on major routes across the country Credit: PA An extra 6.8million motorists are also expected to travel over the weekend but have not yet decided exactly when to leave. Millions more have already started their holidays, with 16.2million trips predicted between Monday and Thursday. Traffic experts have warned of long queues on major routes across the country. Transport analysts INRIX expect delays of around 40 minutes on the M25 clockwise between Junctions 15 and 19 on Thursday. Most read in Motors The M1 southbound between Junctions 16 and 6 is forecast to suffer delays of up to 80 minutes from 10am. Today, drivers on the M25 anticlockwise between Junctions 17 and 12 could face delays of around 45 minutes from 7am. The M60 clockwise between Junctions 7 and 18 is also expected to clog up, with delays of around 30 minutes from 4.30pm. Tomorrow, congestion is expected to peak on the M25 anticlockwise between Junctions 17 and 12, where delays of around 30 minutes are forecast from 2pm. Severe delays predicted for this weekend RAC has warned of carnage on the roads between July 17 and 19, with 3.8million journeys expected on Saturday alone - the worst day to travel. INRIX transport data suggests 40-minute delays are expected on Thursday on the M25 clockwise J15 to J19. The M1 South between J16 to J6 is also expected to be badly affected on Thursday, with delays of around 80 minutes from 10am. Friday will see delays of around 45 minutes on the M25 anticlockwise from J17 to J12 from 7am. In the Northwest, the M60 clockwise J7 to J18 will see delays on Friday of around half an hour from 4.30pm. Congestion will be at its worst on Saturday on the M25 anticlockwise between J17 to J12, with 30 minute delays from 2pm. The Port of Dover has urged ferry passengers not to arrive more than two hours before departure. Travellers have also been told to stick to main roads rather than local lanes to help prevent bottlenecks. Despite rising fuel prices, families are still choosing to pack up the car and head away. Filling a 55-litre family car now costs £8.90 more for petrol than a year ago, while diesel drivers are paying £12.20 extra. The West Country is expected to be the biggest draw, with Cornwall, Devon, Dorset and Somerset attracting around nine per cent of holidaymakers. Around eight per cent are expected to head for the beaches of Kent and Sussex. Scotland, East Anglia and Wales are also tipped to be among the most popular staycation destinations. RAC breakdown spokesperson Harriet Hernando said: “The great British summer staycation is about to get off to a flying start, with many opting to stay in the UK instead of travelling abroad. “This could be down to people having more confidence in the weather, as well as concerns over cancelled flights, higher air fares and EU border delays, which are no fun with a family in tow. “Drivers should be ready for the ‘Saturday summer scramble’ and plan their journeys, thinking about setting off earlier or later in the day to avoid traffic jams. “People should prepare for delays and getting stuck in a jam in potentially very hot weather. “This means ensuring your car is ‘summer-ready’ – checking that oil and coolant are topped up and making sure that tyres have plenty of tread and are pumped up to the correct pressures.” Comment now