The end of July and the beginning of August coincide on the weekend. The DGT anticipates that there will be 4.73 million trips, with the southern half of the country accumulating 65% of them (Catalonia and the Basque Country are managed separately).
The last normal summer was 2019, when there were no pandemics or restrictions on the movements of citizens of any kind. In the operation on August 1, 2.9 million displacements were foreseen that year, but in the middle of the week.
For last year there was no official forecast, although there were no restrictions to move from one province to another, or from one Autonomous Community to another. In this also atypical summer the restrictions are very localized, but they hardly interfere with the desire of the Spaniards to go from one point of the country to another. 4.73 million trips are expected.
The operation «August 1 – 2021» officially begins at 3:00 p.m. on Friday, July 30, and will end at the end of Sunday, August 1. As is evident, those who start their holiday exodus will coincide on the roads with a few hours apart with those who come to enjoy the month that is ending. And all this at the weekend, the exit operation and the return operation.
Circulation forecasts for Friday, July 30, 2021
The phases that DGT expects with greater circulatory complexity are the following:
- Friday 30: unfavorable, from 16 to 17, and from 22 to 23 hours. Very unfavorable from 17 to 22 hours
- Saturday 31: unfavorable, from 8 to 9, and from 14 to 15 hours. Very unfavorable from 9 to 14 hours
- Sunday 1st: unfavorable, from 18 to 19, and from 23 to 24 hours. Very unfavorable from 19 to 23 hours
As always, The DGT recommends avoiding trips within the unfavorable and very unfavorable time band, since the probability of getting into a traffic jam is much higher, especially on the main roads. That, not to mention the increased risk of accidents.
For the entire month of August, 47.8 million long-haul trips, which is the expected volume in a normal year (non-COVID). In fact, the forecast for August 2019 was 47 million trips, 1.57% more than during 2018.
Circulation forecasts for Saturday, July 31, 2021
To keep an eye on the personnel and not to get out of hand, the Civil Guard Traffic Group will have a wide deployment. To the uniformed and camouflaged cars and radars must be added the collaboration of 15 camouflaged vans, 216 cameras that monitor the use of mobile phones and seat belts, as well as 12 helicopters and 39 drones.
As if that wasn’t enough Between August 2 and 8, alcohol and drug controls will be intensified, although this summer there will be hardly any festivities in the towns as in a normal year. In addition, in some territories there are curfews or restrictions on nightlife.
The advice is the same as always, comply with the rules, stop every two or three hours, have the vehicle in good condition, load the vehicles reasonably, and a very long etcetera that we should know by heart. To all this we must add that the most expensive fuels in years invite you to drive a little more economically.
Circulation forecasts for Sunday, August 1, 2021
Which roads will accumulate the most commuting?
Anyone who plans to circulate on one of these roads should study an alternative itinerary, which the DGT itself has on its website, or be patient if you choose the wrong time slot:
- Andalusia: AP-4, AP-7, AP-46, A-4, A-7, A-45, A-49, A-66, A-92, A-92M, A-357, MA-20 and N-4
- Aragon: AP-2, AP-68, A-2 and A-23
- Asturias: A-8, A-66 and N-634
- Cantabria: A-8, A-67, S-10 and S-30
- Castilla-La Mancha: AP-36, A-3, A-4, A-5, A-30, A-31, A-40, A-41 and A-42
- Castilla y León: AP-1, AP-6, A-1, A-6, A-52, A-62, A-66, N-620 and N-630
- Community of Madrid: AP-6, A-1, A-2, A-3, A-4, A-5, A-6 and M-40
- Valencian Community: AP-7, A-3, A-7 and N-332
- Extremadura: A-5 and A-66
- Galicia: AP-9, A-6, A-8, A-52, A-55 and N-550
- Balearic Islands: Ma-1, Ma-13, Ma-19 and Ma-20
- La Rioja: AP-68, A-12, N-111, N-120 and N-232
- Murcia: A-7, A-30 and N-301-A
- Navarra: AP-15, A-1, A-10, A-12, A-15 and A-21
Users of AP-2 and AP-7 should know that this August is the last that there are tolls in most of its route, 474 kilometers, but they will not be liberalized from the barriers until September 1. From Alicante to Tarragona there is no toll since 2020, as well as from Seville to Jerez or from Burgos to Armiñón.