THE END of the summer holiday season this weekend will lead to busy roads and a projected 6.8 million long-distance journeys according to Spain’s General Directorate of Traffic(DGT).
Traffic jams were already reported on Thursday in the Madrid, Valencia, Murcia, and Sevilla areas.
The DGT says that high volumes of traffic are predicted on Friday between 5pm and 10pm in city and coastal areas.
Motorists returning home from a summer break will combine with shorter-distance weekend travellers to make highways busy between 10am and 2pm on Saturday.
The projected peak from the DGT for Sunday is between 4pm and 11pm with a mixture once again of long and short-distance drivers taking to the road.
A warning has also been issued that there will be higher traffic intensities at border crossings as foreign motorists return to their home country.
The DGT is recommending ‘planning trips in advance’ and avoiding ‘the most unfavourable time slots’.
To ease flows, road works are being suspended and some lorries- especially those with ‘dangerous’ cargo- are being restricted in where they can travel.
Main access roads in and out of major cities will also have extra lanes marked out by cones to help cut congestion.
Another factor to consider is the forecast of severe storms hitting Spain on Sunday which could add further to road travel delays.
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