National
Thousands make a getaway despite the bad weather
By h.b. - Mar 18, 2010 - 8:26 PM
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Photo EFE
Friday is a fiesta in ten regions of Spain
Thousands of Spaniards are expected to take to the road on Thursday night or Friday Morning at the start of the first Puente Bank Holiday of the year, despite forecasts of poor weather.
Friday is the Dia de San José, and a fiesta in the regions Castilla-La Mancha, Castilla y León, Comunidad Valenciana, Extremadura, Galicia, Madrid, Murcia, Navarra, País Vasco, La Rioja and Melilla.
The day also marks the climax of the Fallas fiestas in Valencia.
The DGT traffic authority says it expects 4.6 million journeys to be taken on the roads over the weekend and 10,000 traffic agents will be on duty. The airports are busy too with Barajas in Madrid operating more than 5,300 flights. Most popular destinations by plane for a long weekend this year are Athens and Gran Canaria. RENFE Spanish railways has an extra 31,100 seats on offer across the network on high speed and long distance routes.
Drivers will find that once again petrol prices have jumped up ahead of a holiday break. New highs are being reported on the forecourts with petrol up 1.85% and diesel up 1.27%.
Be careful where you park too, as Málaga City Hall has introduced new incentives for its tow truck drivers who can earn an extra 700 € a month if they remove more badly parked cars from the streets.
Meanwhile the weather forecast is not good with rain forecast for nearly all the mainland on Saturday afternoon and Sunday.