More people are expected to take their holidays in the UK this year as the recession bites.

The news comes from an AA/Populus survey of 11,147 AA members. It should be good for forecourts, with more motorists on the road this summer. However, the AA found that more than one in 10 drivers were considering not getting their car serviced this year to save money too. As such, the AA is expecting more call-outs for things like worn brake pads, blocked air filters on cars with carburettors, and long-term damage to engines caused by the deterioration in oil quality. People are also less likely to buy a new car, meaning more older cars are on the road. AA president Edmund King said: "The recession is hitting motorists hard. We are already finding that motorists are cutting back on servicing which often becomes a false economy when things go wrong. We are pushing government to introduce car scrappage incentives as more than half of motorists are less likely to buy new cars this year.

"The only good news is the boost to tourism with more drivers intending to holiday in the UK."

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