Motorists in the area should avoid the M5 which is expected to become one of the most congested roads in the country today.

Holidaymakers are expected to hit the roads for their Bank Holiday getaways from this lunchtime – bringing severe delays in the region with them.

The southbound stretch of the motorway between junction 14, for Thornbury, and junction 22, for Highbridge is expected to grind to a halt.

This will come as no surprise to locals as journey time between the two junctions can be as long as an hour-and-a-half in dense traffic.

Alternative routes should be sought by drivers but traffic on the A38 is also likely to be delayed.

Saturday and Monday are set to be the busiest days with 84 per cent planning to take to the roads – equating to 12-12.5 million drivers on any one day.

John Snowling, AA patrol of the year, said: “August bank holiday weekend is always a busy one on the roads. Traffic is likely to build up on Friday evening as people set off early to make the most of the weekend, and will be busy again for the return on Monday afternoon - so allow plenty of extra time if you’re travelling then.

“Routes to the South West and the coast are usually among the busiest and there will be localised congestion around events, especially at finish time. It’s a good idea to plan an alternative route in case of delays and carry plenty of water – at least a litre per person.

“Whether you’re heading off on holiday or a day trip, take a few minutes to do the basic checks on your car before you leave to make sure you keep on rolling – this is really important if you’re making a long journey. Remember FLOWER – Fuel, Lights, Oil, Water, Electrics and Rubber. Pay particular attention to the tyres as tyre-related issues are the number one cause of breakdowns. If needed, adjust the pressures for a heavy load to make sure your big wheels keep turning.”

The AA can also help give those on the road a heads-up on traffic problems by using the AA App, which is free to members with smartphones.

To add extra excitement to those bank holiday road trips, the AA has launched a new Spot the Van competition from Friday (25 August) until September 3. The first to spot a lucky yellow AA van and share a picture could win one of more than 160 prizes. And those who snap a picture of the shiny rainbow van driven by the AA’s Patrol of the Year will have the chance to win a very special top prize. Further details are on the AA UK Facebook page.