Anyone driving to a half term UK stay this week urged to avoid these 5 busy roads | UK | News

It’s the last half term of the year this week, and many parents will be taking some long-awaited time off for a staycation with the family. There are a wide array of picturesque spots to visit across the country, and driving means you can avoid paying hefty train fees and arrive right next to your hotel, Airbnb, or campsite.

But if you are looking to drive to a coastal spot or market town you haven’t visited, it’s worth planning your route to avoid being stuck in traffic and eating into your well earned break. Mike Thompson, Chief Operating Officer at Leasing Options, shared five roads he says can get particularly jammed during busy periods and offered tips for sidestepping queues of static cars this half term.

Mr Thompson notes that Cornwall is one of Britain’s most popular holiday spots, and “unsurprisingly, traffic can become a nightmare”.

“The A30 is notorious for traffic, particularly from Exeter to Land’s End, which runs through key tourist areas like Launceston, Bodmin, and Truro,” he said.

“Chiverton Cross Roundabout is historically a major bottleneck, despite recent upgrades, and Carland Cross to Chiverton has also been upgraded to a dual carriageway, but delays do still occur.”

“To avoid the A30 traffic, consider taking the A38 via Dobwalls as an alternative; the A390 and A39 are also good for bypassing some of the busier sections of the A30.”

Mr Thompson flagged the A381 as one of the “most notorious roads in Devon for its traffic”.

“Links through Teignmouth to Salcombe can be particularly busy with traffic, as the road has only single lanes,” he continued.

“Newton Abbot town centre also experiences heavy traffic, particularly during key shopping hours or during the weekend.”

For those looking to avoid the traffic, he recommends trying to “avoid passing through any of the town centres like Newton Abbot and Totnes to reduce travel times”.

“If you want to head into town while away, make sure to check out any of the public transport options like the bus and trains, which save you having to navigate the roads yourself.”

The Lake District in Cumbria, northwest England, is home to some of the UK’s most striking landscapes and mountain ranges, and Mr Thompson says it can also be a bit of a hotspot for congestion.

“Tourists travelling through the region will find that the A591, which runs through key tourist towns such as Windermere, Ambleside, Grasmere, and Thirlmere, tends to develop traffic build-ups easily,” he said.

“Ambleside and Windermere town centres can also develop traffic easily, especially during peak season.”

“For travellers looking to avoid Lake District traffic, the A590 is a great alternative to the A591 as it doesn’t pass through any specific tourist towns, but it still has views of the striking Lake District scenery.”

Snowdonia, also known as Eryri, is Wales’ largest national park and another popular destination for staycationers.

However, the expert says: “Despite being a holiday staple location, North Wales only has one dual carriageway into Snowdonia. The A55 runs from Chester to Holyhead and experiences particular bottlenecks in Bangor and Conwy. 

“To avoid this type of congestion, the A494 is a scenic alternative which runs through the picturesque towns of Bala and Ruthin; this route bypasses the popular coastal areas which can become congested with caravans and other holidaymakers.”

Northumberland is seeing growing numbers of tourists but is also a “major north-south travel route, which is key to connecting London to Edinburgh”, Mr Thompson says.

He says the A1 has also “been subject to ongoing maintenance and resurfacing projects, which have led to lane closures and traffic signals”.

“The A696 and A68 for north-south travel is the easiest way to avoid any congested areas of the A1, particularly during peak tourist season,” he added.

To avoid any unneccessary stress, drivers are advised to plan their travel to be outside of peak travel times, and make themselves aware of road works that could bring unexpected delays.