Forecasts of jam today and tomorrow in Easter rush

Motorists face bank holiday misery this weekend with the prospect of one of the worst Easter traffic jams on record, travel organisations warned yesterday.

Motorists face bank holiday misery this weekend with the prospect of one of the worst Easter traffic jams on record, travel organisations warned yesterday.

Forecasts of unsettled weather mean an advance party of 1.5 million Britons are expected to head abroad, with a 50 per cent increase in traffic volumes compared with last Easter. The AA and RAC say many families will link the late Easter break with next week's May Day bank holiday weekend, generating heavier traffic loads than usual.

A spokesman for the Association of British Travel Agents said: "Many holidaymakers are taking an extended Easter break of 11 to 14 days. More than 800,000 passengers are expected to depart from UK airports over the weekend and half a million either under or over the Channel to France."

Cyprus, Spain, the Canary Islands, the Balearic Islands, the Caribbean and Los Angeles are popular destinations. People heading to Tenerife face delays because airport staff on the island plan strikes on Friday and Saturday. Holidaymakers have also been urged to make allowances when heading for ferry ports and airports and allow at least 50 minutes extra for journeys.

The worst of the jams would be on the routes to Devon and Cornwall, the Lake District, Wales and East Anglia. Routes to Blackpool and Brighton are also expected to be congested.