Motorists taking to the roads over the upcoming Easter bank holiday have been offered advice on how best to avoid the most congested areas of the UK.

According to the latest AA-Populus poll, 55 per cent of drivers are planning to take to the roads over the Easter weekend and this means traffic levels are likely to be much higher than usual.

Overall, this means approximately 16 million vehicles will be completing journeys over the Easter holiday, with roads in the south-west of England likely to be the busiest as Britons flock to the area.

The busiest period for traffic volumes is predicted to be this Friday and Saturday (April 11th and 12th), as motorists make use of the upcoming bank holiday weekend to take an extended break from their day-to-day routines.

In addition, Maunday Thursday (April 17th) is also expected to be an extremely busy period for traffic volumes.

Tony Rich, AA breakdown patrol of the year, commented: "While mild weather has thankfully replaced the snow and ice of last Easter, it doesn't mean drivers should be any less prepared.

"It's going to be busy at times on the roads and, for some people, will be their first long-distance car journey of the year, which can reveal any underlying mechanical problems."

He added motorists would be well advised to break up long journeys so as to avoid the potential for fatigue, while families should also pack plenty of items to entertain the kids.

According to an analysis of predicted traffic data by Trafficmaster, the busiest routes over the coming week and a half are expected to be the A303 in Wiltshire and Somerset, the M1 from junctions 6A to 13 and 23A to 32, as well as the M5 between junctions 15 and 31.

The M6 throughout the West Midlands and Lancashire will also likely be busy, as will all areas of the M25.

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Posted by Clare Lafferty, Account Manager, The Fuelcard People.