Forecourt operators should be braced for a busy few days, with Easter 2026 set to bring with it an additional 21m car journeys, as soaring fuel prices fail to deter drivers from making trips over the long weekend.
Data from Inrix shared by the RAC indicates a million more trips will be made this Easter than were in 2025. Some 2.3m leisure journeys will be made on Thursday 2 April, with Good Friday set to be the busiest day thanks to 3.3m journeys to see family, friends and attractions being taken.
A further 3m journeys on Sunday, 2.3m on Easter Sunday, and 3m on Bank Holiday Monday will round of the weekend, while 6.7m journeys are planned but not scheduled for a specific day.
The RAC says an unspecified number of ad hoc trips will also be made, and details that delays of 40 minutes or more are expected on the M25 clockwise between J15 and J19 on Thursday 2 April, when many schools in the area break up.
Away from rising traffic volumes, a survey of over 2,200 adults carried out by the breakdown company found 31% of motorists report being increasingly worried about fuel costs, but only 6% say they will drive less as a result, with a similar proportion saying they would stop driving altogether.
Sean Kimberlin from the firm said: “The Easter bank holiday getaway is traditionally one of the biggest of the year, and 2026 looks no different. In fact, the number of planned leisure journeys by car has risen for the second year running and as a result we expect this to be the busiest Easter on the roads since 2022, when the country opened up after the Covid lockdown.
“Despite fuel prices rising dramatically due to the conflict in the Middle East, our research suggests Easter remains incredibly important to people as it’s often the first chance to get away since Christmas or to meet up with friends and family.
“We expect traffic levels to be consistently high from Thursday when many schools break up. We advise drivers to plan for the best time to travel if they want to avoid significant queues, especially in traffic hotspot areas such as the M5 heading towards Devon and Cornwall and the M25. Congestion is likely to be at its worst from 10am from Thursday to Saturday and on Easter Monday, so leaving early in the morning is the best way to avoid the jams.”
