DRIVERS will face congested roads while rail passengers will have to contend with disruption on some routes as tens of thousands move off on a bank holiday weekend promising to be a mixture of sunshine and showers.

The AA and traffic information company Trafficmaster have predicted that as many as 17 million cars could take to the roads across the UK, with numbers swelled by a series of sporting events, music festivals and air shows.

Many people will be jetting off to the sunshine, while those staying behind are likely to experience cooler and wetter weather than of late.

Buses will replace trains on a number of rail routes. Work on the West Coast main line will mean reduced services between London and Birmingham New Street/Manchester Piccadilly from 8pm on Saturday to noon on Monday.

Routes where buses replace trains include between Glasgow Central and Whifflet, while routes with amended services include Falkirk Grahamston to Stirling.

Traffic intelligence specialists INRIX has said it expects delays of up to 20 minutes for motorists travelling between Aviemore and Tain, due to work on the A9 Kessock Bridge in Inverness. It is also predicting delays of 15 minutes for drivers approaching the Erskine Bridge over the weekend.

A study by Kwik Fit Insurance estimates that two thirds (63%) of Britons will hit the road with their families over the weekend.