Two million Britons will flee the country over the Bank Holiday weekend as the country seeks to forget a washout August. A record number will head abroad, as holidaymakers ignore the economic storm clouds in search of sunnier climes.

Abta, the travel agents' association, said that there had been a surge in late bookings as sunseekers tire of a wetter than average British August.

Those who stay behind can look forward to some let-up in the rain, with sunny spells likely across much of the country, although the Met Office said that no where would escape showers. The South East will have the best of the sun, but Scotland and Northern Ireland can expect more blustery rain.

On the roads, travellers will have to put up with traditional Bank Holiday congestion. The RAC said that this morning would be the busiest time as thousands made an early start to the long weekend. John Vale, from the RAC, said: “As the school holidays draw to a close, families use the opportunity to get their last bit of summer sun at the coast.”

A packed schedule of music festivals is likely to lead to jams, particularly on the A67 in Leeds, the A329 in Reading and the A56 and M56 near Liverpool. Routes to the West Country, the Lake District and other popular destinations are also expected to be crowded.

There will be little respite on the railways, with engineering works taking place across the country. The West Coast main line will be hardest hit with “significant changes to timetables” planned, according to Network Rail. Chris Gibb, managing director of Virgin Trains, which operates services on the West Coast line, said: “I would like to apologise to all our customers who will experience disruption over the Bank Holiday weekend.”

There is some good news, however: strike action that would have affected Gatwick, Stansted and Manchester airports has been called off.

“The August Bank Holiday is our traditional goodbye to the summer and is always very busy,” said Justin Fleming, president of Abta. “This year is no exception with large numbers escaping to guaranteed sunshine, sandy beaches and warm seas.”

The organisation says that today and Saturday will be the busiest days at Britain's airports, with 420,000 people expected to fly from Heathrow, 260,000 from Gatwick and 160,000 each from Stansted and Manchester. The Mediterranean is still the most popular destination.

Another 400,000 will cross to the Continent by ferry or Eurotunnel. Camping and caravanning in Europe are rising in popularity as Britons seek cheaper breaks, despite refusing to cut out holidays altogether in the face of the credit crunch, Abta says.

Those who stay behind have been accused of laziness after a study showed that two thirds of us spend our August Bank Holidays watching TV or surfing the internet. Only 14 per cent said that they would visit family or friends, the same number opted for walks in the countryside and a meagre 11 per cent chose a family day out, according to a survey by the market research company Mintel.

Even such weekend staples as DIY and gardening tempt only 9 and 14 per cent of us respectively. “Brits are simply not proactive or spontaneous during their Bank Holidays, preferring to lounge around the house and catch up with some rest,” said James McCoy, senior leisure analyst at Mintel.